ALEXANDER  GOLDSTEIN 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

An  American  Migration 


ONLY    500    COPIES    OF    THIS    WORK    HAVE    BEEN 
PRINTED  FROM  TYPE,  OF  WHICH  THIS  IS 

NO.     435 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

An  American  Migration 

Family  English  Not  German 


WITH 
PHOTOGRAPHIC  ILLUSTRATIONS 


BY 

MARION    DEXTER   LEARNED 

Professor  of  the  Germanic  Languages  and  Literatures  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania 


WILLIAM  J.  CAMPBELL 

PHILADELPHIA 

1009 


IN  MCMORIAJ* 


Copyright,  1909 
MARION  DEXTER  LEARNED 


PRESS  OF 

INTERNATIONAL  PRINTING  Co 
PHILADELPHIA 


L74- 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Page 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  Lincolns  in  New  England  and  New 

Jersey    ......  ,  ....................          1-20 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Lincolns  in  Pennsylvania  ...........       21-31 

CHAPTER  III. 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  Pennsylvania  .......       32~56 


CHAPTER  IV. 
Children  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Spring 

field  Township,  Chester  County,  Pa.  .  .       57~66 

CHAPTER  V. 
Children  of  Mordecai  Lincoln  of  Exeter.  .       67-99 

CHAPTER  VI. 
John  Lincoln  or  "Virginia  John,"  Son  of 

Mordecai  of  Exeter  ...............    100-117 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Abraham  Lincoln  of  Virginia  and  Ken 

tucky  ............................    1  18-129 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Forms  of  the  Name  Lincoln  ........    130-145 


JVS2989G8 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Opposite 
Page 

Frontispiece — A.  Lincoln   

House  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  Exeter,  as  it  Looks  To-day    20 

Will  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  Exeter,  Pa.  (First  page) 26 

Will  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  Exeter,  Pa.  (Second  page) . .     28 
Inventory  of  the  Estate  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  the  Elder,  of 

Exeter,  Berks  County,  Pa 28 

Friends'  Meeting  House,  Exeter,  Berks  County 30 

Petition  for  Tavern  License,  Showing  Signature  of  Abra 
ham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield 44 

The  Will  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield 54 

Inventory  of  the  Estate  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield     56 

Bill  of  Costs  of  Executing  Elisabeth  Crowl 72 

List  of  Petit  Jury  Returned  by  Thomas  Lincoln,  Sheriff  of 

Reading,  Pa 74 

First  Page  of  the  Account  Book  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of 

Exeter 80 

Administrators'  Account  of  the  Estate  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln,  Son  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  Exeter  (First  page)  .     86 
Administrators'  Account  of  the  Estate  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln,    Son   of   Mordecai   Lincoln,   of   Exeter    (Second 

page) 86 

Administrator's  Account  of  the  Estate  of  Ann  Lincoln, 

Widow  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Exeter 88 

First  Two  Pages  of  the  Old  "Lincoln  Record" 92 

Receipt  Showing  the  Signature  of  John  Lincoln 106 

Deed  of  John  and  Rebecca  Lincoln  to  Isaac  Lincoln,  Con 
veying  Land  on  Linville's  Creek  in  1773 112 

Deed  of  John  and  Rebecca  Lincoln  to  Isaac  Lincoln,  Con 
veying  Land  on  Linville's  Creek  in  1773 112 

Signature    of    Jacob    Lincoln,    Son    of    "Virginia    John" 

Lincoln 1 18 

Old    Lincoln    House    on    Linville's    Creek,    Rockingham 

County,  Virginia 122 

Signature    of    Abraham    and    Bathseba    Lincoln,    Grand 
father  and  Grandmother  of  President  Lincoln..  .   126 


Viii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Opposite 
Page 
Present  View  of  Linville's  Creek  Where  it  Passes  Through 

the  Original  Lincoln  Tracts 128 

Marriage  Certificate  of  Thomas  Lincoln  and  Nancy  Hanks  130 

Marriage  Bond  and  Certificate  of  Thomas  Lincoln 132 

Deed    Showing    the    Correct    Name    of    "Lincoln,"    Not 

"Linkhorn"    134 

Old  Lincoln  Cabin  Near  Springfield,  Washington  County, 

Kentucky  136 

The   Cabin   in   Which   Abraham   Lincoln,   the    President, 

Was  Born  February  12,  1809 138 

Warrant  Issued  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  Kentucky,  Show 
ing  the  Name  "Linkhorn"  142 

Survey  of  the  first  Warrant  of  Land  to  Abraham  Lincoln 

in  Kentucky  (then  Virginia)    144 

Map  of  the  Migration  of  the  Lincolns   from  Hingham, 

Mass.,  to  Kentucky  146 


PREFACE 


The  following  researches  into  the  family  of  Ab 
raham  Lincoln,  in  America,  are  the  outgrowth  of 
a  suggestion  made  by  Dr.  G.  Langmann,  of  New 
York  City,  and  were  carried  out  by  the  encourage 
ment  which  he  gave.  In  1901,  Louis  P.  Hennig- 
hausen,  Attorney-at-Law,  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
published  in  the  Report  for  the  Society  of  the  His 
tory  of  the  Germans,  in  Maryland,  an  interesting  ar 
ticle  entitled  "Abraham  Lincoln  or  Linkhorn"  sup 
porting  the  view  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States,  was  descended  from  a 
German  family  by  the  name  of  Linkhorn.  The  argu 
ment  was  built  up  with  much  skill  and  found  quite 
general  acceptance  among  the  Germans  of  America, 
giving  rise  to  German  poetry  on  Lincoln,  the  Ger 
man  President.  In  1903,  Dr.  G.  Langmann,  wish 
ing  to  have  the  question  investigated  in  detail,  re 
quested  the  present  writer  to  have  some  trained  aca 
demic  man  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
examine  into  the  records  of  Lincoln's  origin,  and 
publish  the  results.  Failing  to  find  any  one  with 
sufficient  time  to  devote  to  a  thorough  investiga 
tion  of  the  subject,  the  present  writer  undertook 
the  work  himself.  He  examined  all  available  rec 
ords  in  the  several  states  through  which  the  Lin 
coln  family  migrated  to  Kentucky,  namely  Mass- 

(ix) 


X  PREFACE 

achusetts,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  that  part  of  Transilvanian  Virginia, 
now  known  as  Kentucky.  In  the  course  of  the  in 
vestigation,  he  unearthed  and  exploited  much  orig 
inal  matter  relating  to  the  Lincoln  family  in  their 
American  wanderings. 

The  simple  question  of  settling  the  name  "Lin 
coln,"  or  "Linkhorn,"  and  its  origin  soon  assumed 
the  more  extended  form  of  a  study  of  the  Lincoln 
family  as  a  typical  American  migration.  It  is  this 
two-fold  form  of  the  investigation  which  is  pub 
lished  in  the  following  pages. 

The  author  wishes  to  express  his  indebtedness  to 
the  following  persons  and  institutions : 

Former  Governor  S.  W.  Pennypacker,  who  al 
lowed  the  author  to  make  use  of  his  rich  collec 
tion  of  manuscripts;  George  F.  Baer,  President  of 
the  Reading  Railroad,  who  generously  turned  over 
his  notes  on  the  Lincoln  family  in  Berks  County; 
Louis  Richards,  President  of  the  Berks  County  His 
torical  Society,  who  gave  access  to  his  valuable 
Note  Books;  B.  F.  Owen,  of  the  Berks  County 
Historical  Society,  who  assisted  the  writer  in  using 
the  Archives  of  the  Society;  Albert  Cook  My 
ers,  of  Moylan,  Pa.,  for  valuable  assistance  and 
the  Exeter  cut;  George  C.  Beekman,  of  Red  Bank, 
New  Jersey,  for  information  touching  the  Bownes 
and  Saltars  of  that  state;  Major  Armour,  of 
Harrisburg,  Pa.,  who  allowed  the  author  to  use 
the  Account  Books  of  John  Harris;  General  John 


PREFACE  XI 

E.  Roller,  of  Harrisonburg,  Virginia,  who  intro 
duced  the  author  to  the  Lincolns  in  Rockingham 
County,  Virginia;  Gilbert  Cope,  of  West  Chester, 
Pa.,  who  permitted  the  use  of  his  valuable  collec 
tion  of  Chester  County  papers;  L.  P.  Hennighau- 
sen,  of  Baltimore,  for  information  concerning  the 
Lincolns  of  Maryland  and  Loudoun  County,  Vir 
ginia;  Colonel  R.  T.  Durrett,  of  Louisville,  Ken 
tucky,  who  kindly  furnished  photographs  of  Lin 
coln  documents;  T.  B.  Fitzpatrick,  of  Hodgenville, 
Kentucky,  for  the  privilege  of  using  photographs  of 
the  Lincoln  houses,  published  in  his  Lincoln  Souve 
nir',  the  Librarians  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  Historical  Society  of  Virginia, 
the  Historic-Geneological  Society  of  Massachusetts, 
the  State  Library  and  Department  of  Public  Rec 
ords,  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania;  the  Secretary  and 
his  Assistant  of  the  Department  of  Internal  Affairs, 
Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania;  the  Office  of  Recorder 
of  Deeds,  in  Freehold,  New  Jersey,  in  Philadelphia, 
West  Chester,  Reading  and  Lancaster,  Pennsylva 
nia,  in  Elkton,  Maryland,  and  in  Stanton,  Harri 
sonburg  and  Winchester,  Virginia,  and  also  the 
Office  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  Trenton,  New 
Jersey,  and  the  Archives  in  the  Surveyor's  Office  at 
Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey. 

The  following  members  of  the  Lincoln  family 
have  aided  in  furnishing  information  and  giving 
access  to  original  materials : 

Dr.  J.  E.  Lincoln,  Lacy  Spring,  Va. ;  Miss  Kate 


Xll  PREFACE 

Pannebecker,  of  Linville,  Va. ;  Mrs.  Parvin  (nee 
Lincoln),  of  Leesport,  Pa.;  Mr.  David  Lincoln,  of 
Birdsboro,  Pa. ;  Mr.  Richard  Lincoln  and  Harrison 
G.  Lincoln,  and  family,  of  Reading,  Pa. ;  Mr. 
Francis  H.  Lincoln,  of  Boston,  Mass. 

As  the  aim  of  this  study  was  not  to  furnish  a 
family  tree  of  the  Lincolns  in  America,  which  task 
is  being  performed  by  the  Geneologist,  Mr.  J.  Henry 
Lea,  the  author  of  this  work  was  happy  to  be 
able  to  turn  over  to  Mr.  Lea  many  of  his  geneologi- 
cal  notes  relating  to  the  date  of  John  Lincoln's 
migration  to  Virginia  and  the  Lincoln  epitaphs  in 
the  old  graveyard  on  Linvill's  Creek,  for  incorpora 
tion  into  Mr.  Lea's  Ancestry  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
and  to  receive  in  exchange  some  useful  suggestions 
from  Mr.  Lea. 

The  documentary  character  of  this  investigation 
seemed  to  justify  the  printing  of  the  most  important 
deeds  and  other  original  papers  in  full.  An  effort 
has  been  made  to  give  the  exact  text  of  these  rec 
ords  in  the  original  orthography.  In  some  cases  it 
was  difficult  to  decide  about  the  intended  use  of 
capitals  in  the  originals,  particularly  in  the  case  of 
the  letters  S  and  C,  which  were  often  written  in 
such  a  way  as  to  leave  it  doubtful  whether  the  let 
ters  were  intended  to  be  large  or  small.  Glaring 
mistakes  in  the  original  text  are  usually  marked 
thus :  [sic] 

THE  AUTHOR. 
PHILADELPHIA, 
THANKSGIVING  DAY,  1908. 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

AN  AMERICAN  MIGRATION 
Family  English  not  German. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  LINCOLNS  IN  NEW  ENGLAND  AND  NEW  JERSEY. 

As  the  Germans  have  given  currency  to  the  the 
ory  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  was  of  German  ancestry  and  de 
scended  from  a  forebear  by  the  name  of  ''Link- 
horn,"  in  Pennsylvania,  it  has  seemed  worth  while 
to  test  this  theory  in  the  light  of  the  records  of  the 
Lincoln  family.  This  study  of  the  original  docu 
ments  relating  to  the  Lincolns  in  the  various  signifi 
cant  centres  of  settlement  in  the  colonial  period 
makes  it  possible  to  follow  the  history  of  the  mi 
gration  of  one  of  the  most  typical  families  in  Amer 
ica  and  to  trace  the  motives  prompting  the 
migration. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  the  President,  knew  very  little 
about  the  history  of  his  family,  as  is  shown  by  a 
passage  in  a  letter  which  he  wrote,  while  a  Member 
of  Congress,  in  1848,  to  Hon.  Solomon  Lincoln,  of 
Hingham,  Massachusetts :  "My  father's  name  is 
Thomas.  My  grandfather's  was  Abraham,  the 


2  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

same  as  my  own.  My  grandfather  went  from  Rock- 
ingham  County,  Virginia,  to  Kentucky  about  the 
year  1782,  and  two  years  afterwards  was  killed  by 
the  Indians.  We  have  a  vague  tradition  that  my 
grandfather  went  from  Pennsylvania  to  Virginia, 
and  that  he  was  a  Quaker.  Further  than  this  I  have 
never  heard  anything.  It  may  do  no  harm  to  say 
that  'Abraham'  and  'Mordecai'  are  common  names 
in  the  Lincoln  family." 

In  an  article  contributed  to  Johnson's  Encyclopae 
dia  in  1859,  Lincoln  traces  his  ancestry,  in  a  general 
way,  back  to  New  England.  He  had  only  a  faint 
tradition  of  the  connecting  links  in  the  migration  of 
the  various  branches  of  the  family  from  New  Eng 
land,  and  found  the  two  chief  arguments  for  his 
New  England  origin  in  the  family  tradition  that 
they  came  from  Massachusetts,  and  in  the  persistent 
recurrence  of  certain  Christian  names  in  the  Lin 
coln  family,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  letter  quoted 
above.  This  statement  is  particularly  interesting, 
as  it  reflects  the  crude  condition  of  American  geneal 
ogy,  even  in  the  case  of  the  family  of  a  President 
of  the  United  States,  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  This  brief  and  indistinct  outline  of  the 
Lincoln  genealogy  has  been  brought  out  into  bold 
relief  since  the  President's  tragic  death,  and  many 
missing  links  have  been  supplied  by  the  genealogists, 
so  that  we  are  now  in  a  position  to  trace  with  cer 
tainty  the  lineage  of  the  great  martyr  President. 

Even  a  decade    later    a    biographer  of  Lincoln 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  3 

writes  the  following  concerning  the  residence  of  the 
Lincolns  in  Pennsylvania:  "Where  the  Lincolns  of 
Berks  County  (Pa.)  came  from,  no  records  have  as 
yet  divulged,  but  they  are  believed  to  have  been 
Quakers,  and  to  have  escaped  from  the  intolerance 
of  Massachusetts  to  the  friendly  soil  of  Pennsyl 
vania."  *  Although  this  confession  of  ignorance  on 
the  part  of  the  biographer  appears  to  us  now  little 
less  than  naive,  it  is  worthy  of  note,  as  this  indiffer 
ence  and  superficiality  have  not  entirely  disappeared 
from  American  biography. 

The  name  Lincoln  is  clearly  connected  with  the 
place  and  shire  name  "Lincoln"  (Lind  +  Colonia) 
in  England  and  is  easily  traced  in  the  local  records 
of  Lincoln,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  Lincoln  Marriage 
Licenses*  recently  published,  in  which  are  found  the 
following  entries : 

"[a.  1612]  John  Lincoln  of  Witherne,  yeom.,  act 
50,  &  ffaithe  Cooke,  of  Libble  Carl- 
ton,  wid.,  aet.  34.  appln.  by  Wm 
Hundleby,  of  Witherne,  yeom. 

[a.  1623]  Rich.  Lincoln  of  the  Bail  of  Lincoln, 
yeom.,  aet.  28,  &  Susan  Wood,  of 
same  Spr,  aet.  26.  appln.  by  ffrancis 
Walker,  of  same,  yeom." 

The  researches  of  J.  Henry  Lea  and  J.  R.  Hutch- 


*  Cf.  Biographical  Sketch  of  His  Excellency,  Lincoln, 
Late  President  of  the  United  States.  By  Charles  Henry 
Hart,  LL.  B.  (Reprinted  from  the  Introduction  to  the  Bib- 
liographia  Lincolniana.  Albany,  Joel  Munsel,  1870,  page  4.) 


4  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

inson,  in  a  forthcoming  work,  have  traced  the  Lin- 
coins  back  to  Robert  Lincoln  in  England,  about 
1540,  in  an  unmistakable  line  leading  down  to  the 
Lincolns  of  Hingham  in  England  and  of  Hingham, 
Massachusetts,  in  New  England. 

THE    LINCOLNS    IN     MASSACHUSETTS. 

The  history  of  the  Lincolns,  as  we  have  it  now 
from  various  sources,  shows  us  that  they  came 
from  Hingham  in  England  and  settled  at  and 
near  Hingham,  Massachusetts.  The  first  settlement 
at  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  was  made  by  the  Rev. 
Peter  Hobart  and  twenty-nine  others,  who  had  land 
apportioned  to  them  by  lot  September  18,  1735. 
The  next  year,  1736,  lands  were  granted  to  the  fol- 
following  Lincolns:  Thomas  Lincoln,  the  miller; 
Thomas  Lincoln,  the  weaver,  and  Thomas  Lincoln, 
the  cooper.  The  following  year,  1737,  land  was 
granted  also  to  Samuel  Lincoln,  the  brother  of 
Thomas  Lincoln,  the  weaver.** 

Thomas  Lincoln,  the  miller,  was  born  in  England 
in  1603, and  died  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  in  1683. 
He  first  settled  in  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  and  re 
moved  about  1652  to  Taunton.  He  was  called  "the 
miller"  to  distinguish  him  from  the  other  prominent 
Thomas  Lincoln  of  Hingham,  who  was  a  large  land 
owner  and  was  known  as  Thomas  Lincoln,  the  hus 
bandman,  thus  making  the  fourth  Thomas  Lincoln 
who  settled  in  Hingham.  This  Thomas  Lincoln,  the 
husbandman,  came  from  Wyndham,  England,  in 

**  Cf.  the  articles  on  the  Lincoln  Family  by  Shackford  and 
Egle,  also  Hart's  Biographical  Sketch  of  His  Excellency 
Lincoln. 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  5 

1638,  and  married  about  1642  Margaret,  the  daugh 
ter  of  Richard  Sanger,  of  Hingham.  In  addition  to 
these  four  Thomases  and  Samuel  Lincoln,  two  other 
Lincolns  settled  in  the  same  region:  Stephen  Lin 
coln,  the  brother  of  Thomas  Lincoln,  the  husband 
man,  and  Daniel  Lincoln. 

Samuel  Lincoln,  who  came  over  as  a  "servant" 
or  apprentice,  seems  to  have  been  the  most  modest 
of  all  the  Lincolns  in  point  of  property.  In  the 
Office  of  Rolls  in  London  is  found  the  following 
reference  to  him :  "Francis  Lawes,  born  in  Nor 
wich,  Norfolk  County,  and  lining  weaver,  aged  — , 
and  Liddea,  his  wife,  aged  49,  with  one  child,  Mary, 
and  two  servants:  Samuel  Lincoen,  aged  18  years, 
and  Ann  Smith,  aged  19  years — ar  desirous  to  pass 
to  New  England  to  inhabit."  These  people  went 
to  New  England  with  William  Andrews,  of  Ipswich, 
Master  of  the  ship  John  and  Dorothy,  of 
Ipswich,  and  William,  his  son,  Mr.  of  the  Rose 
of  Yarmouth,  April  18,  1637.*  It  was  this  Samuel 
Lincoln,  the  "servant,"  who  by  the  irony  of  democ 
racy  became  the  progenitor  of  the  family  of  Abra 
ham  Lincoln,  the  President  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  Samuel  Lincoln  thus  came  from  Norwich, 
England,  in  the  year  1637,  at  the  age  of  18  years. 
He  died  May  26,  1690.  He  married  Martha  (Lewis), 
who  died  April  10,  1693.  Ten  children  were  the 
issue  of  this  union.  The  eldest  son,  Samuel,  became 
the  progenitor  of  Lincolns  of  prominence  in  Massa- 

*  Cf.  Chicago  Tribune,  Apr.  14,  1883. 


O  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

chusetts.  The  fourth  son,  Mordecai,  was  born  June 
17,  1657,  in  Hingham,  and  died  October  13,  1727, 
in  Scituate,  Massachusetts.*  This  Mordecai  was  the 
great,  great,  great  grandfather  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
the  President.  Mordecai  Lincoln  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  and  established  the  first  smelting  furnace 
in  New  England.  He  was  a  large  contributor  to 
wards  the  erection  of  the  Iron  Works  at  Bound 
Brook,  Massachusetts,  which  comprised  as  their 
chief  feature  a  Catalan  forge  for  making  wrought 
iron.**  There  is  record  of  him  as  a  foot-soldier  of 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  1679,  and  as  a  black 
smith  in  Hull  about  1680.  In  the  years  1680  to 
1685  he  is  found  among  the  taxables  and  is  assessed 
2/4  Bull,  for  money  there  in  1684.  His  land,  or 
residence,  is  mentioned  in  the  deed  given  by  Benja 
min  Bosworth  and  his  wife,  Beatrice,  to  Robert 
Gould  Hull,  December  14,  1682.  His  uncle,  Thomas 
Lincoln,  the  weaver,  appears  as  witness  of  a  deed 
in  1698.*** 

A  deed  in  the  possession  of  George  Lincoln,  of 
Hingham,  dated  December  21,   1713,  contains  the 


*  Cf.  Chicago  Tribune,  April  14,  1883.  (Cp.  Cincinnati 
Gazette,  Oct.  6,  1882,  referring  to  Mr.  S.  Bernard  Elliott,  of 
Pataskala,  O.,  as  having  fixed  the  pedigree  of  President 
Lincoln.) 

**  Cf.  James  M.  Swank,  History  of  the  Manufacture  of 
Iron  in  All  Ages,  and  Particularly  in  the  United  States,  from 
Colonial  Times  to  1891.  (Second  Edition,  Philadelphia,  1892, 
page  505.) 

***  Cf.  Ms.  Notes  on  the  Lincoln  Family  in  the  Massachu 
setts  Hist.  Genealogical  Society,  Boston. 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  7 

following  information:  "George  Jackson,  of  Mar- 
blehead,  sells  to  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  Scituate, 
"blacksmith,"  two  parcels  of  salt-meadow  land  lying 
and  being  in  Cohassett,  then  the  Township  of  Hing- 
ham,  one  of  which  is  bounded  East  by  a  brook  or 
river  called  Bound  Brook." 

Mordecai,  the  blacksmith,  married  Sarah,  the 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Sarah  (Whitman)  Jones. 
He  moved  first  from  Hingham  to  Hull,  and  about 
1704  to  the  neighborhood  of  Scituate,  where  he 
built  his  furnace  for  smelting  ore.  Mordecai  and 
Sarah  Lincoln  had  the  following  children :  Morde 
cai,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Sarah — all  born  at  Hing 
ham,  Massachusetts — and  Elizabeth  and  Jacob,  born 
at  Scituate,  Massachusetts.  In  1727,  Mordecai  Lin 
coln,  of  Hull,  willed  his  sons  and  executors,  Isaac 
and  Jacob,  his  real  estate  in  Hingham  and  Scituate. 
To  his  other  sons,  Mordecai  and  Abraham,  he  gave 
no  pounds  and  160  pounds,  respectively,  in  money 
and  bills  of  credit.  These  were  the  sons,  doubtless, 
who  had  gone  to  settle  in  Monmouth  County,  New 
Jersey,  adjoining  Middlesex,  in  which  county  (near 
Woodbridge)  the  Massachusetts  families  of  Ilsleys, 
Moores,  Hales,  Rolfes,  Pikes  and  others  had  settled. 

It  would  appear  that  the  Lincolns  had  found 
their  way  to  New  Jersey  and  Maryland  before 
1700.  There  is  mention  of  Lincoln's  Inn,  Middle 
sex  County,  as  early  as  April  5,  1685,  and  March 
4,  1691-2,  showing  that  the  name  was  fresh  in  the 


8  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

minds  of  the  early  settlers.  In  Maryland  a  num 
ber  of  important  entries,  particularly  in  the  land 
records  of  Cecil  County,  date  back  to  the  same 
early  period.  The  following  entry,  for  example, 
shows  that  there  was  already  a  tract  of  land  in  Cecil 
County,  called  by  the  name  of  "Linckhorne,"  after 
the  manner  of  plantations  in  the  South  : 

Maryland  Ss/  Know  all  men  by  these  presents 
that  wee  Jonathan  Linckhorne  and  Alexander 
MccKey  [McKoy]  of  Cecell  County  planters  have 
leased  Lett  Assigned  &  Sett  over  unto  Wm  Blay  of 
ye  Said  County  *  *  *  *  *  tract  called  Linck 
horne  wch  lies  on  ye  East  Side  of  ye  Mill  branch 
[for  a  term  of  99  years  from  date  (April  27, 
1704).  Consideration  £5000  of  tobacco]. 

Jonathan  Linckhorn      (Seal) 

his 
Alexr.  M  Mackey          (Seal) 

mark 

Witnesses : 
Wm  Wilson 
Peter  Allaby 

his 

Jn°  —  Linckhorne 
mark 

[Recorded  August  16,  1704.  Copied  in  unbound 
deed  book  pp.  188-189,  Court  House,  Elkton, 
Maryland.]* 

Wm.   Lincolne  appears  among  the  witnesses  of 
the  will  of  Richard  Wells,  Sr.,  in  Anne  Arundel  Co., 


*  From  the  notes  of  Albert  Cook  Myers. 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  9 

Md.,  June  22,  1667,  and  Anne  and  Jon.  Lincoln  as 
witnesses  of  the  will  of  Nathaniel  Garrett,  Cecil  Co., 
Md.,  Apr.  27,  1688. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  names  Lincoln  (or 
Linckhorne)  and  McCoy  (or  McKay),  found  to 
gether  here  in  Maryland,  and  the  names  Lincoln  (or 
Lincon)  and  Schenck  (or  Shanks),  found  together 
in  New  Jersey,  are  all  met  with  again  in  the  Valley 
of  Virginia  in  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

THE  LINCOLNS  IN   NEW  JERSEY. 

It  cannot  be  reasonably  questioned  that  Mordecai 
Lincoln  and  Abraham,  his  brother,  of  Monmouth 
County,  New  Jersey,  were  the  two  sons  whom  Mor 
decai  Lincoln,  of  Hull,  Massachusetts,  mentioned  in 
his  will  in  1727.  The  circumstantial  evidence  is 
quite  convincing.  First,  the  fact  that  the  father 
gave  the  children  at  home  his  land,  but  to  the  two 
brothers,  Mordecai  and  Abraham,  their  portion  in 
cash,  would  indicate  that  they  had  gone  away  from 
home.  Second,  these  two  Lincolns,  Mordecai  and 
Abraham,  are  not  found  in  any  records  of  that 
period,  except  in  those  of  Monmouth  County,  New 
Jersey.  Third,  these  two  brothers,  Mordecai  and 
Abraham,  are  found  in  New  Jersey  in  a  settlement 
made  by  New  Englanders,  largely  from  Massachu 
setts. 

The  exact  date  of  the  settlement  of  Mordecai  and 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  East  Jersey  has  not  been  defi- 


IO  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

nitely  determined.  The  earliest  record  of  a  Lincoln 
in  New  Jersey  is  a  reference  to  Mordecai  Lincoln 
found  in  the  will  of  Captain  John  Bowne,  a  mer 
chant  of  Middletown,  New  Jersey.  The  will  is 
dated  September  the  I4th,  1714,  and  shows  that 
Mordecai  Lincoln  was  already  married  to  Hannah 
Saltar,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Sarah  (Bowne) 
Saltar,  of  Freehold,  New  Jersey,  and  was  evidently 
settled  there.  In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  this 
will,  John  Bowne  bequeathed  to  his  niece,  Hannah 
(Saltar)  Lincoln,  the  sum  of  250  pounds.  The  text 
of  the  will  runs  as  follows : 

In  the  Name  of  God  Amen  This  fourteenth  day 
of  September  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1714, — I 
John  Bowne  of  Midletown  Merchant  being  sick 
and  Weake  in  body  but  of  perfect  mind  and  mem 
ory  thanks  to  God  therefore  but  Calling  to  mind 
the  Mortality  of  the  body  and  that  it  is  appointed 
[once]  for  all  men  once  to  die  do  make  and  or 
dain  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament;  first  and 
principally  J  give  and  bequeath  my  soul  into  the 
hands  of  God  that  gave  it  and  my  body  J  recom 
mend  to  the  Earth  to  be  buried  in  a  Christian  like 
and  decent  Manner  at  the  discretion  of  my  Execu 
tors  here  after  Named  and  as  to  my  worldly  Estate 
J  give  and  dispose  of  the  Same  in  manner  follow 
ing,  Imprimus  my  Will  is  that  all  my  Just  debts 
be  all  paid  and  discharged ;  Item  I  give  to  my  wife 
Frances  Bowne  the  Sum  of  four  hundred  pounds 
money  of  the  Province  aforesaid  in  Right  of  her 
Dowry  Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  to  my  Sister  Sa- 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  II 

rah  Saltar  all  my  Plate  and  the  bed  whereon  J 
lye  and  furniture.  Jtem  J  give  to  Gersham  Mot 
the  the  sum  of  two  hundred  pounds  for  the  use  of 
his  Children.  Jtem  J  give  to  Joseph  Dennis  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  to  leremiah  White 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  Jtem 
to  Thomas  Saltar  and  John  Saltar  and  Hannah 
Lincon  and  to  William  Hartshorn's  three  Eldest 
Chilldren  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
to  each  of  them.  The  Rest  of  my  Estate  both 
Real,  and  Personall  I  Will  to  be  Equally  Divided 
between  my  Brother  Obadiah  Bowne  and  my 
Brother  Richard  Saltar,  their  Heirs  and  Assigns 
for  Ever,  Whome  I  do  hereby  appoint  Sole  Ex 
ecutors  of  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament  Jn 
witness  whereof  J  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
Seal  the  day  and  year  first  above  written. 

John  Bowne. 
Signed,  Sealed  and  Delivered 

in  Presence  of 
James  Paul 
Joseph  Dennis 
Marget  Commen* 

[Affidavits  of  witnesses  &  certificates  of  Ro. 
Hunter,  Governor.] 

Mordecai  Lincoln  is  appears  as  "Mordecai  Lin- 
horn"  among  the  mortgagors  in  the  inventory  of 
Capt.  John  Bowne's  estate  in  1714. 

Another  reference  to  Mordecai  Lincoln  in  East 


*  Will  of  John  Bowne  Sept.  14,  1714,  Recorded  in  A  10  & 
recorded  with  affidavits  A  27,  State  House,  Trenton. 


12  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

New  Jersey,  is  found  in  a  letter  of  John  Saltar  to 
his  uncle,  Obediah  Bowne,  executor  of  Captain  John 
Bowne,  dated  April  25th,  1716.  The  part  of  the  let 
ter  in  question  runs  as  follows : 

April  25th  1716. 
Honord  vncle  Bowne 

I  have  Sent  by  my  father  Such  writings  as  were 
in  my  hands  &  appurtaining  to  the  Estate  of  my 
decd  vncle  Capt  John  Bowne.  Neare  fifty  pound 
in  them  my  vncle  had  given  to  me,  not  many 
weeks  before  he  dyed,  &  time  failing  the  property 
of  the  debt  was  not  altered  in  my  Name  soe  be 
cause  I  cannot  fairly  pretend  to  proceed  to  Se 
cure  myself  wthout  yor  loane  [  ?]  I  have  thought  fit 
to  remitt  ye  same  to  ye  Estate.  Haueing  onely  an 
order  to  take  Security  for  the  Same  to  my  owne 
use  from  vndr  his  hand  &  Soe  Expect  y*  yo  will 
be  favorable  to  me  on  y1  Score ;  I  depend  on  your 
Courtesy  y*  which  was  given  to  me  is  not  in  ye 
Inventary,  I  have  alsoe  Send  a  bond  from  John 
Chenoath  to  my  vncle  vnder  Such  like  Circum 
stances  for  ten  pounds  &  not  altered  as  was  or 
dered  &  Intended  to  my  brother  Lincon — the 
whole  that  is  giuen  and  Secured  to  my  brother 
Thomas  Mardden  [Madden?]  &  my  self  amounts 
in  all  to  about  four  hundred  &  twenty  pounds  or 
thereabouts  *********** 
Yor  Ever  faithful  &  obedient  Nephew, 
John  Saltar* 

*  This  letter  was  found  in  1907  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
William  Crawford,  near  Red  Bank,  N.  J.,  who  allowed  the 
present  writer  to  photograph  it. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  13 

The  importance  of  this  letter  for  us  is  to  be  found 
in  the  fact  that  in  it  John  Saltar  calls  Mordecai  Lin 
coln,  or  Lincon,  his  brother,  thus  showing  that  Mor 
decai  Lincoln's  wife,  Hannah  Saltar,  was  John  Sal- 
tar's  sister,  and  so  establishing  an  important  fam 
ily  relation  for  the  New  Jersey  record  of  the 
Lincolns. 

The  next  trace  which  we  have  of  Mordecai  Lin 
coln  in  East  Jersey  appears  in  a  law  suit  begun  by 
Obediah  Bowne  in  the  Monmouth  County  court, 
in  the  year  1716,  and  continued  for  a  period 
of  four  years.  The  brief  minutes  of  this  trial  are 
still  extant  in  the  original  manuscript  Court  Book  in 
Freehold,  New  Jersey,  and  afford  such  an  interest 
ing  glimpse  into  the  Jersey  court  procedure  of  that 
early  time  that  they  seemed  worthy  of  insertion 

here: 

Court  of  Com  Pleas  Feb  28,  1716 

Obadiah  Bowne 
Admr  &c 

u 
Mordecaj  Lincoln 

Debt 
£140 

The  Like  Rule  [Plaint.  20  Days  to  file  Declar  & 
Defend1  20  Days  to  give  in  Special  Bail  &  to  Plead 
as  the  Law  Directs]  Nonsuit  for  Want  of  a 
Proper  Power  of  Attorney. 


14  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Court  Session  May  35,  1717  (8  a.  m.) 

Obadiah  Bowne 
Administrator  &c 

u 
Mordecaj  Lincoln 

Debt 
£140 

After  hearing  Mr.  Vernon  for  ye  PI1  &  Mr  Gor 
don  for  the  Defend1  Court  allowed  a  Non  Pros. 

Court  Aug  27,  1719 
Obadiah  Bowne  Admr 

u 
Mordecaj  Lincorn 

Debt 

£140  Non  Est 

Court  28  November  1719 
Obadiah  Bowne  Admr 
of  Elis :  Bowne  Deced 

u 
Mordecaj  Linckorn 

Debt 

£140  Non  Est 

Court  May  27,  1720 
Obadiah  Bowne  Admr 

u 

Mordecaj  Lincon  & 
Richard  Saltar 

Debt 
£140 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  15 

Mr.  Kinsey  P  PI*  Ordered  that  the  Sherif  Bring 
ye  Body  That  the  PI*  Declare  Twenty  Days  The 
Defend1  to  Give  Sp :  Bail  in  the  like  Time. 

Nonsuit  to  ye  action  u  Saltar  for  Want  of  Let 
ters  adminis  &  Nonsuit  to  ye  action  u  Lincon 
for  Want  of  a  Declar. 

Court  Aug  27.  1720 
Obadiah  Bowne  Admr 

[u] 

Mordecaj  Lincon  & 

Richard  Saltar 
Debt 
£140 

Ordered  that  the  Nonsuits  in  this  action  be  set 
aside  that  Lincon  have  Twenty  Days  time  to  give 
Special  Bail  and  that  Each  of  them  have  Twenty 
Days  time  to  Plead,  Mr.  Kinsey  to  Declare  against 
Lincoln  in  the  Same  time  upon  Payment  of  costs 
by  Mr.  Saltar  the  Action  against  Lincon  With 
drawn  by  Consent  of  the  Plfc  attorney. 

In  the  jury  which  sat  at  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  August  29,  1717,  we  find  Mordecai  Lincoln, 
Jonathan  Borden  and  Benjamin  Borden. 

Mordecai  Lincoln  appears  also  in  another  suit 
brought  by  him  against  John  Liming,  November 
the  3Oth,  1721,  and  continued  until  November  29th, 
1722.  The  proceedure  is  briefly  recorded  in  the 
Court  Book  as  follows,  and  shows  that  Mordecai 
Lincoln,  either  in  person  or  through  his  attorney, 
transacted  business  in  New  Jersey  at  this  time : 


1 6  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Court  Nov.  30  1721 

Mordecaj  Lincon 

u 

John  Liming 
Debt 

£..  9.. — Non  est 

Court  Mar  i  1721 

Mordecaj  Lincon 

u 

John  Liming 
Debt 
in..  9. — Non  est 

Court  Nov.  29,  1722. 

Mordecaj  Lincon 

u 
John  Liming 

Debt          Mr.  P.  Plaintif 
in..  9..     The  Like  Rule. 

The  last  direct  reference  to  Mordecai  Lincoln  as 
resident  in  New  Jersey  is  found  in  the  following 
deed  issued  by  Richard  Saltar  to  Mordecai  Lincoln 
under  date  of  February  2d,  1720: 

This  Indenture  made  this  Second  Day  of  Febru 
ary  in  ye  Sixth  year  of  his  Majestys  Reign  King 
George  &c  over  Great  Brittain  France  and  Ireland 
Defender  of  ye  faith  &c  Annoq  Domini  one  thou 
sand  seven  hundred  and  twenty  Between  Richard 
Saltar  of  the  Towne  of  freehold  County  of  Mon- 
mouth  and  and  [sic!]  Province  of  New  Jersey  of 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  17 

ye  one  Party  and  Mordecai  Lincon  of  of  [sic!]  ye 
Same  of  the  other  Party  Witnesseth  y1  ye  said 
Richard  Saltar  for  and  in  Consideration  of  ye 
sum  of  one  hundred  and  and  fifty  two  Pounds 
Curant  Money  of  ye  Province  aforesaid  to  ye 
said  Richard  Saltar  by  ye  sd  Lincon  already  in 
hand  Paid  the  receipt  whereof  he  ye  said  Rich 
ard  Saltar  Does  hereby  owne  and  that  he  is  there 
with  fully  Satis fyed  and  Paid  and  thereof  and 
therefrom  Does  hereby  fully  clearly  and  absolutely 
aquit  Release  and  Discharge  ye  said  Mordecai 
Lincon  his  Heirs  Exts  &  adms  and  every  of  them 
forever,  HATH  given  granted  Bargained  sould 
aliened  Enfeoffed  Released  and  discharged  and 
by  these  Presence  Doth  give  grant  Bargain  Sell 
and  Confirme  unto  him  ye  said  Mordecai  Lincon 
his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  all  those  Tracts  of 
Land  &  Meadow  on  Machaponix  River  &  Gravill 
Brook  in  the  County  of  Middlesex,  the  first  Tract 
Is  bounded  on  said  Matchaponix  River  on  ye 
South  by  ye  Pine  Brook  East  by  the  Land  now 
or  Late  of  Willm  Estill  on  ye  west,  and  by  Land 
unsurveyed  on  ye  North  ALSO  all  that  Tract 
Bounded  westerly  by  Gravill  Brook  Southerly  by 
the  Land  of  William  Estill  from  ye  Mouth  of 
Long  Meadow  Run  Easterly  &  Northerly  by  Land 
unsurveyed.  ALSO  all  ye  Long  Meadow.  Upon  ye 
sd  Long  Meadow  Run  Bounded  west  by  ye  Last 
Mentioned  Tract  of  Land  and  all  round  ye  other 
side  up  Upland  Unsurveyed  In  all  containing  four 
Hundred  are.  [acres]  More  or  Less  besides  allow 
ance  for  barron  Land  and  High  Ways  with  all  the 
Royaltys  Proffets  advantages  Hereditaments  & 


l8  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

appurtenances  to  ye  said  Land  and  Meadow  Be 
longing  or  in  anywise  apertaining  also  all  ye 
Estate  Right  title  Interest  claime  and  Demand 
Whoever  of  ye  said  Richard  Saltar  of  in  &  to 
or  out  of  ye  Same  on  any  Part  of  them  as  amply 
and  fully  to  all  Intents  &  Purposes  asye  same  ward 
[sic]  conveyed  and  assured  to  him  by  a  certain 
Deed  of  Sale  Bearing  Date  ye  seventh  Day  of  No 
vember  Annoq  Domini  1717  from  John  Reid  Es 
quire  TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  ye  said  Severall  Tracts 
of  Land  and  Premises  with  their  appurtenances 
unto  him  ye  said  Mordecai  Lincon  his  heirs  and  as 
signs  to  ye  only  Euse  and  behoof  of  ye  said  Morde 
cai  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  and  the 
said  Richard  Saltar  Doth  for  himself  his  heirs  exs 
and  adms  to  and  with  ye  said  Mordecai  Lincon  his 
heirs  and  assigs  [sic]  Covenant  Promise  and  agree 
In  ye  Manner  and  forme  following  Viz:  that  the 
Granted  and  Bargained  Premises  with  ye  ap 
purtenances  are  free  and  Clear  of  Incumb ranees 
and  that  ye  said  Richard  Saltar  hath  good  Right 
full  Power  and  Law  full  Authority  to  Sell  and 
Confirme  ye  Same  In  Manner  aforesaid  and  yt  ye 
said  Richard  Saltar  his  heirs  Exs  &  Adms  Shall 
and  will  forever  warrant  and  Defend  ye  Same  In 
ye  Peacable  and  quiet  Possession  and  Seizen  of 
him  the  said  Mordecai  Lincon  his  heirs  and  as 
signs  against  all  Persons  whatsoever  In  Witness 
whereof  the  said  Richard  Saltar  hath  hereunto 
set  his  hand  and  Scale  ye  day  and  year  first  above 
written.  Richard  Saltar  (S) 

SEALED   and    DELIVERED    In    the    Presence    of 
Thomas  Cox,  R.  Saltar  Junr. 


AN  AMERICAN   MIGRATION  1 9 

April  5,  1727  Then  appeared  before  John  An 
derson  Esqr  one  of  his  Magestys  Councill  for  the 
Province  of  New  Jersey  Richard  Saltar  Junr  a 
Subscribing  Evidence  to  the  above  written  Instru 
ment  who  being  Solemnly  sworn  on  the  Holy 
Evangelists  of  Almighty  God  did  declare  that  he 
saw  Richard  Saltar  therein  Named  Execute  the 
same  as  his  Act  and  Deed. 

Examd  by  Thos  Barrow  Sec. 

In  the  year  1728  in  the  inventory  of  Elizabeth 
Salter's  Estate  mention  is  made  of  a  debt  due  Mor- 
decai  Lincon.* 

NATHAN  LINCOLN  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 

There  is  record  in  Sussex  County,  New  Jersey,  of 
another  Lincoln,  Nathan  by  name,  whom  we  have 
not  been  able  to  trace  elsewhere.  The  document  in 
question  is  the  will  of  Nathan  Lincoln  (or  Linken) 
beginning  and  closing  as  follows: 

"I,  nathan  Linken  [Linkon?]  of  Sussex  County 
&  Westrin  division  of  ye  province  of  New  Jersey 

He************** 

Signed,  sealed,  published  pronounced  &  deliv 
ered  by  the  sd  Nathan  Linken  to  be  his  last  Will 
in  presence  of  us 
John  Wood 

her 
Mary  [X]  Young, 

mark 
Brice  Bicky." 


*  Cf.  New  Jersey  Archives,  First  Series  xxiii,  p.  401. 


2O  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

The  will  is  dated  August  7th,  1763.  It  was  re 
corded  January  I4th,  1767.  By  a  strange  mistake, 
the  signature  of  the  testator  was  misread  as  Nathan 
Metopon,  instead  of  Nathan  Linken,  and  was  calen 
dared  under  Metopon.  It  was  only  by  accident  that 
the  present  writer  discovered  the  identity  of  this 
Metopon  and  thus  discovered  this  third  Jersey 
Lincoln. 

It  lies  beyond  the  purpose  of  this  study  to  attempt 
to  trace  the  relation  of  this  Nathan  Lincoln  to  Mor- 
decai  and  Abraham  of  Monmouth  County,  New  Jer 
sey,  on  the  one  hand,  or  to  the  Maryland  Lincolns 
on  the  other. 


'ro  w 
*<  o 


o  o 
o   *> 

C    D 
3-    w 

o>   n 

> 


3  o 

o  w 

3  M 

0>  H 

Jt  W 


^W    iSGltj  t"/' 

IJ^C 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  21 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    LINCOLNS    IN    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Both  Mordecai  Lincoln  and  his  brother  Abraham 
Lincoln  migrated  from  New  Jersey  to  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  each 
rearing  a  numerous  family.  It  is  in  Pennsylvania 
that  we  find  the  most  abundant  information  of  the 
Lincoln  family.  Scores  of  references  to  the  Lin- 
coins  are  still  preserved  in  the  land  records  of  Har- 
risburg,  Philadelphia,  West  Chester  and  Reading, 
as  will  appear  in  the  documents  printed  below. 

MORDECAI    LINCOLN    IN    PENNSYLVANIA. 

Mordecai  Lincoln  begins  to  appear  in  the  Penn 
sylvania  records  in  1720  and  we  may  suppose  that 
he  migrated  from  East  Jersey  to  Pennsylvania  some 
time,  probably  soon,  after  February  2nd  of  that  year. 
In  the  old  burying  ground  near  Allentown,  Penn 
sylvania,  is  found  an  epitaph  which  reads  "To  the 
Memory  of  Deborah  Lincoln,  Aged  3  yrs.  4  mos. 
May  15,  1720."  This  probably  refers  to  a  child  of 
Mordecai  and  Hannah  Lincoln.  The  name  of  Mor 
decai  Lincoln  is  found  in  the  tax  lists  of  Chester 
County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1720  and  the  following 
years,  as  these  extracts  from  the  original  lists  will 
show : 


22  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

1720  near  ye  Branches  of  the  French  Creek  & 
Brandywine 

Mordecay  Lncoln  35.  d. 

1722  Nantmeal 

Mordecai  Lincoln  2s.  6d. 

1724  Coventry 

Mordecay  LinColn  45.  4d. 

1725  Coventry 

Mordecay  Lincolin  35.     d. 

These  tax  lists  show  that  Mordecai  Lincoln  was 
assessed  both  in  the  township  of  Nantmeal  and  in 
that  of  Coventry  "near  ye  branches  of  the  French 
Creek  &  Brandywine."  We  learn  further  particu 
lars  about  his  land  in  Coventry  in  another  document 
entitled  "Articles  of  Agreement"  between  Samuel 
Nut,  William  Branson  and  Mordecai  Lincoln,  dated 
February  28th,  1723: 

"Articles  of  Agreement  Indented  made  and 
Concluded  the  Twenty  Eighth  Day  of  February 
Anno  Doni  1723/4  Between  Samuel  Nut  of  the 
Township  of  Coventry  upon  the  French  Creek  in 
Chester  County  Ironmonger  of  the  first  Part  Wil 
liam  Branson  of  the  City  of  Phila.  Merch*.  of  the 
Second  Part  and  Mordecai  Lincoln  of  Coventry 
aforesd.  Ironmonger  of  the  Third  Part  In  Man 
ner  following  that  is  to  say — 

Whereas  The  sd  Samuel  Nut  William  Branson 
and  Mordecai  Lincoln  Have  at  their  Joint  Charge 
lately  erected  Built  and  provided  one  Dwelling 
House  and  a  Forge  with  Engines  belonging  to 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  23 

their  Iron  Works  besides  other  Buildings  &  Erec 
tions  Situate  Lying  and  being  on  a  Certain  Tract 
of  Land  at  French  Creek  aforesd.  *  *  * 
Articles  of  Agreement  Indented  made  and  Con 
cluded  the  Twenty-eighth  Day  of  February  Anno 
Doni  1723  Between  Samuel  Nutt  of  the  Town 
ship  of  Coventry  upon  the  French  Creek  in 
Chester  County  Ironmonger  of  the  first  Part  Mor- 
decai  Lincoln  of  Coventry  aforesd.  Ironmonger  of 
the  Second  Part  and  William  Branson  of  the  City 
of  Phila.  Merch1.  of  the  third  Part  In  Manner 
following  that  is  to  say — 

Know  all  men  by  these  Press  that  I  Mordecai 
Lincoln  of  Coventry  In  the  County  Chester  for 
and  in  Consideration  of  the  Sum  of  Five  Hundred 
Pounds  of  Current  Lawful  Money  of  America  to 
me  in  Hand  paid  by  William  Branson  of  Phila. 
Merch*.  The  Receipt  whereof  I  do  hereby  Ac 
knowledge  and  thereof  do  Exonerate  Acquit  and 
for  Ever  Discharge  the  sd  William  Branson  his 
Heirs  For  Ever  have  bargained  sold  remised  re 
leased  and  quitclaimed  And  by  these  Presents  Do 
Bargain  sell  remise  release  and  for  Ever  quit  claim 
unto  him  the  said  William  Branson  his  Heirs  and 
Assigns  for  Ever  all  and  Singular  the  one  full  un 
divided  third  Part  of  One  Hundred  Acres  of  Land 
as  also  one  full  undivided  third  Part  of  six  Acres 
of  Land  Together  with  all  my  Right  Title  Interest 
and  Claim  whatsoever  of  in  or  to  the  aforesd  un 
divided  Rights  according  to  Articles  of  Aggreem1 
made  Between  Samuel  Nutt  of  the  one  Part  and 
Mordecai  Lincoln  of  the  other  part  Together  with 


24  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

all  and  Singular  the  Mynes  and  Minerals  Forges 
Building  Houses  Lands  Improvements  whatsoever 
thereunto  belonging  or  in  any  wise  appertaining  to 
the  only  proper  Use  and  Behoof  of  him  the  said 
William  Branson  his  Heirs  and  Assigns  for  Ever 
IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF  I  have  hereunto  Set  my 
Hand  and  Seal  the  fourteenth  Day  of  December. 
1725  mordecai  Lincoln 

Sealed  &  Delivered 
In  presence  of 
Jona  Robeson 
Jam  Sheary* 

Recorded  by  John  Kinsey  Jan.  4  1744/5. 

The  next  reference  to  Mordecai  Lincoln  in  Penn 
sylvania  is  a  deed  of  Richard  Saltar  to  Mordecai 
Lincoln,  dated  May  26th,  1726.  In  this  deed  Mor 
decai  Lincoln  is  mentioned  as  "of  the  County  of 
Chester  in  the  prov'ce  of  Pensilvania."  The  docu 
ment  runs  as  follows : 

THIS  INDENTURE  WITNESSETH  That  Richard 
Saltar  of  Frehold  in  the  County  of  Monmouth 
&  Provce  of  New  Jersey  Yeoman  for  and  in  Con 
sideration  of  the  full  and  Just  sum  of pounds 

in  hand  paid  to  the  said  Richard  Saltar  by  Mor 
decai  Lincon  of  the  County  of  Chester  in  the 
Provce  of  Pensilvania  the  Rec*  whereof  the 
said  Richd  doth  hereby  Acknowledge  and  is  there 
with  fully  Satisfied  Contented  and  paid  &  thereof 


*  Power  of  Attorney  D.  2.  v.  2,  p.  370,   Department  of 
Internal  Affairs,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  25 

and  from  every  part  &  parcell  thereof  doth  fully 
clearly  and  absolutely  Aquit  Exonerate  and  dis 
charge  him  the  said  Mordecai  Lincon  his  heirs  and 
Assigns  forever  Hath  granted  Bargained  and  sould 
unto  the  said  Mordecai  Lincon  his  Heirs  &  assigns 
forever  All  that  Tract  of  Land  lying  in  the  County 
of  Midelsex  in  New  Jersey  aforesaid  Beginning  at 
a  Black  Oak  Tree  marked  on  four  sides  standing 
On  the  North  side  of  a  small  slough  or  run  wch 
is  on  the  North  side  of  a  Farm  formerly  Wm 
Estell,  from  thence  running  North  thirty  nine  de 
grees  westerly  Seventeen  chains  to  Matchaponix 
River  thence  down  the  same  to  the  Mouth  of  a 
Brook  which  is  One  of  Robt  Barclays  Corners  & 
running  from  the  first  mentioned  Black  Oak  Tree 
att  the  Beginning  South  forty  eight  degrees  East 
erly  forty  chains  more  or  less  to  the  reere  Lines 
of  sd  Estills  Farme  thence  along  the  same  North 
&  by  East  &  half  a  point  easterly  to  his  corner 
where  a  small  run  comes  into  the  brook  thence 
down  the  Brook  to  the  above  named  Barclays  cor 
ner  On  Matchaponix  River — Which  Tract  of  Land 
by  Estimation  One  Hundred  Acres  more  or  less. 
To  Have  and  To  Hold  the  said  Tract  of  Land 
with  the  appurtenances  and  privileges  to  the  same 
belonging  or  in  any  wise  apertaining  to  him  the 
said  Mordecai  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  as 
fully  &  amply  to  all  intents  purposes  &  Construc 
tions  whatsoever  as  the  same  was  made  Over  to 
the  said  Richard  Saltar  by  deeds  of  Sale  from 
Dugle  Mackolom  bearing  date  the  fifteenth  day 
of  July  Anno  Q  D  Domini  1719  and  not  other 
wise  Jn  Witness  whereof  J  have  hereunto  Sett 


26  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

my  Hand  and  Scale  this  Twenty  sixth  day  of 
May  Anno  Q.  Domini  1726. 

Richard  Saltar  (L.  S.) 

Sealed  &  Delivered 
in  the  Presence  of 
her 

Geo  X  Morlat 
mark 

Richard  Saltar  Jun 

Ebenezer  Saltar 

April  5th  1727  Then  appeared  before  John  An 
derson  Esqr  One  of  his  Majestys  Council  for  the 
Province  of  New  Jersey  Richard  Saltar  Junr  who 
being  solemnly  Sworn  on  the  Holly  Evangelists 
of  Almighty  God  did  declare  that  he  saw  Rich 
ard  Saltar  above  Named  execute  the  same  as  his 
Act  and  Deed.  John  Anderson  Examined  & 
agrees  with  the  original  the  word  (Lincen*)  in 
the  IIth  line  underlined  was  by  mistake  in  Re 
cording. 

John  Terrill  Reg 

In  the  year  1730  Mordecai  Lincoln  acquired  of 
Thomas  Millard  303  acres  of  land  (being  a  part  of 
the  thousand  acres  granted  to  Andrew  Robeson  Feb 
ruary  2Oth,  1718,  willed  by  him  to  his  son  Jonathan 
Robeson,  and  granted  by  the  last  named  to  Thomas 
Millard,  October  27th,  1729). 

The  name  of  Mordecai  Lincoln  appears  among 
the  Justices  of  the  Peace  under  date  of  March  5, 
I732~1 733>  and  Dec.  3,  1733. 

In   1735,   Mordecai   Lincoln's   signature   appears 

*  Cf.  Record  in  Lib.  30  or  D.  3,  130,  Trenton,  N.  J. 


£ti 


"      '  "" 


WILL  OF  MORDECAI  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER,  PA.     (First  Page. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  27 

on  the  return  of  the  reviewers  of  the  road  from 
Schuylkill  to  Oley,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  papers  of 
the  Quarter  Sessions  of  Philadelphia,  1735  and  1736. 

It  is  clear  from  these  documents  that  Mordecai 
Lincoln  migrated  to  Pennsylvania  in  or  about  the 
year  1720,  that  he  was  an  ironmonger  and  bought 
land  in  that  part  of  Pennsylvania  where  the  iron 
industry  was  developing  and  where  it  has  continued 
to  flourish  until  the  present  day.  He  was  thus  fol 
lowing  the  tradition  of  his  father  who  began  the 
iron  industry  in  Massachusetts  a  generation  before. 

Mordecai  Lincoln  made  his  last  will  and  testa 
ment  February  22d,  1735.  His  signature  was 
affirmed  and  sworn  to  by  two  of  the  witnesses,  Sol 
omon  Coles  and  John  Bell,  June  7th,  1736,  at  which 
time  the  testator  was  evidently  deceased.  It  is  likely 
that  he  died  late  in  May,  1736,  as  the  will  naturally 
would  have  been  proven  soon  after  the  death  of  the 
testator.  His  mortal  remains  were  buried  in  the 
Quaker  burying  ground,  near  Oley.*  The  text  of 
the  Will  runs  thus: 

Jn  the  Name  of  God  Amen  J  Mordecai  Lincon 
of  Amity  in  the  County  of  philada  in  the  province 
of  pennsylva  being  sick  and  weak  in  body  but  of 
sound  mind  and  Memory  Do  make  this  my  last 
will  and  Testament  in  manner  and  form  following 
revoking  and  hereby  disanulling  and  making  void 
all  other  and  former  Wills  and  Testaments  by 
me  made  whether  in  word  or  Writing  allowing 
this  to  be  my  last  will  and  Testament  and  no  other. 

*  The  Exeter  Meeting  is  evidently  meant. 


28  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Jmprimis  it  is  my  mind  that  in  ye  first  place  my 
Just  debts  be  honiestly  paid. 

Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  unto  My  son  Mor- 
decai  Linkon  the  half  of  my  land  scituate  in  amity 
and  to  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever 

Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  son  Thomas 
Linkon  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  the  one  half 
of  my  Land  in  amity  aforesaid. 

With  this  proviso  that  if  my  present  wife  Mary 
should  prove  with  Child  at  my  Decease  and  bring 
forth  a  son,  then  J  order  that  ye  said  Land  be  Di 
vided  into  three  equall  parts,  And  that  Mordecai 
shall  have  ye  Lower  most  or  South  East  part,  and 
Thomas  the  Middle  most  and  the  posthumus  ye 
uper  part : 

Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  Daughters 
Hannah  and  Mary  a  Certain  piece  of  Land  at  Mat- 
japonix  allread  settled  on  them  by  a  deed  of  gift. 

Jtem  J  give  unto  my  son  John  Lincon  a  Certain 
piece  of  Land  Lying  in  the  Jerseys  Containing 
three  hundred  acres,  and  to  his  heirs  and  assigns 
forever. 

Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  Two  daugh 
ters  Anne  &  Sarah  and  to  their  heirs  and  assigns 
forever  one  hundred  acres  of  Land  lying  at  Mat- 
japonix  in  the  Jersey,  which  Land  J  do  order  my 
Executrix  herein  after  Named  to  sell  and  divide  ye 
money  equally  between  them. 

And  J  do  hereby  further  order  and  appoint 
that  if  any  one  or  more  of  my  Children  above 
named  should  happen  to  dye  before  they  arrive 
to  their  full  age  then  such  share  or  shares  of  ye 


••'.> 


WILL  OF  MORDECAI  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER,  PA.     (Second  Page. 
(Original  in  the  City  Hall,  Philadelphia.) 


.x'x'"""  f  *  * 

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•Lifo  a/  ^v;/^  £*/&*«  ^u*f*^0W!  Mtfnfr. 


/.  ••  /*/.  - .  .-P...  ^,^ 


INVENTORY  OF  THE  ESTATE  OF  MONDECAI  LINCOLN,  THE  ELDER,  OF 
EXETER,  BERKS  COUNTY,  PA. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  2Q 

deceased  shall  be  Equally  Divided  amongst  ye 
surviving  Children. 

Jtem  J  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  beloved 
Wife  Mary  all  ye  residue  or  remainder  of  My 
Estate  goods  Chatties  Quick  &  dead  To  be  at  her 
disposall,  and  Liberty  to  remain  on  My  planta- 
ti[on]  at  Melar  [  ?]  Amity  untill  those  my  Chil 
dren  are  at  their  severall  ages,  the  better  to  enable 
my  Wife  to  bring  up  all  my  Children  without 
wasting  or  embezeling  what  I  have  left  them. 

And  J  do  hereby  nominate  and  appoint  my  Wife 
Mary  Lincon  my  whole  and  sole  Executrix  of 
this  my  last  Will  and  testam[ent] 

And  my  loving  friends  and  Neighbours  Jonathan 
Robeson  and  George  Boone  Trustees  to  assist  my 
Executrix  in  &  seeing  this  my  Will  and  Testa 
ment  well  and  truely  perform  [ed]  according  to  ye 
true  Intent  and  Meaning  thereof. 

The  within  named  Mordecai  Lincon  did  sign 
publish  pronounce  and  declare  that  this  present 
writing  was  his  last  will  and  Testament  ye  22 
day  of  ffebruary  A°  Dom1  1735 

Jn  the  presence  of  us  Mordecai  Lincon 

Jsrael  Robeson 

Solomon  Coles     aff  7th  June  1736 

John  Bell     lur  eod 

Philada  June  7th  1736.  Then  personally  ap- 
peard  Solomon  Coles  and  John  Bell  two  of  the  wit 
nesses  to  the  foregoing  Will  &  the  sd  Solomon 
on  his  solemn  affirmation  &  the  sd  John  Bell 
on  his  Oath  did  severally  declare  they  saw  & 
heard  Mordecai  Lincoln  Sign  Seal  publish  and 


30  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

declare  the  same  Will  to  be  his  Last  Will  &  Testa 
ment  and  that  at  the  doing  thereof  he  was  of 
sound  mind  Memory  and  understanding  to  the 
best  of  their  knowledge. 

Coram  Pet  Evans  Rec  Gen 

The  widow  of  Mordecai  Lincoln  transfered  her 
power  of  attorney  January  17,  1742,  to  her  son- 
in-law,  William  Tallman,  of  Amity  Township.  This 
is  the  instrument : 

Know  all  Men  by  these  presents  that  Mary 
Rodgers  of  Exeter  in  the  County  of  Philada  in 
the  Province  of  Pensylvania  whole  and  Sole  Ex 
ecutrix  of  Mordecai  Lincon  my  deceased  Husband 
(by  Virtue  of  his  last  Will  and  Testament  were 
Jmpowered  to  make  Sale  certain  Lands  as  by  the 
said  Will  will  at  Large  Appear)  Know  ye  that  I 
the  said  Mary  Rodgers  for  divers  Good  causes 
and  considerations  me  thereunto  moving  Have 
placed  made  Ordained  Constituted  &  appointed, 
and  in  my  stead  and  place  have  put  and  Authorized 
my  son  in  Law  William  Tallman  of  Amity  in  the 
County  aforesaid,  yeoman,  my  True  and  Layfull 
Attorney  for  me  and  in  my  Name  and  to  my  use 
and  Behoof,  to  Enter  into  all  these  Lands  Con 
taining  One  hundred  Acres  lying  on  Matjaponix 
in  East  Jersey  with  all  their  Rights  members  and 
appurtenances  thereunto  belonging  to  Enter  all 
and  every  part  &  parcel  thereof  for  me  and  in  my 
Name  to  Survey  and  for  me  and  in  my  name  to 
bargain  Sell  Lease  or  grant  to  such  person  or  per 
sons  &  for  such  Estate  for  Life  Inheritance  or 


-o 


w  w 

W   X 

P3      W 


03 

in 
HH    Cd 


AN  AMERICAN   MIGRATION  31 

Otherwise  &  for  Such  Sum  or  Sumes  of  money 
as  by  my  said  Attourney  shall  be  though  [t]  meet 
and  requisite  to  the  utermost  &  best  comodity  and 
profit  of  me,  and  deed  and  deeds  of  the  same 
grants  and  Estates  so  to  be  made  for  me  and  in 
my  Name  to  Seal  and  as  my  deed  to  deliver  unto 
the  parties  to  whome  the  same  shall  be  so  made, 
And  Acquittances  &  other  Discharges  for  me  and 
in  my  Name  to  seal  and  deliver  Hereby  giving 
and  granted  unto  my  said  Attourney  my  whole  & 
full  power  and  Authority  in  touching  and  concern 
ing  the  premisses  to  do — Execute  proceed  and  fin 
ish  in  all  things  in  as  Large  and  Ample  manner 
and  form  as  J  myself  might  or  Ought  to  do  if  J 
were  personally  present,  And  Ratifying  &  allow 
ing  whatsoever  my  said  Attorney  shall  Lawfully 
Act  and  do  according  to  the  True  Jntent  &  meaning 
of  these  presents,  Jn  Witness  whereof  J  have  here 
unto  set  my  hand  &  Seal  the  I7th  day  of  January 

A°.  D°.  1742. 

Mary  Rogers  (ss) 
Sealed  and  delivered 
in  the  presence  of  us 

Geo :  Boone — Roger  Rogers 

Be  it  Remembered  that  On  the  1 7th  day  of  Jan 
uary  1742.  before  me  George  Boone  Esqr  One  of 
his  Majesties  Justices  of  the  peace  for  the  City 
&  County  of  Philada  came  Mary  Rodgers  and 
acknowledged  the  within  power  of  Attourney  to 
be  her  deed — Witness  my  hand  ye  day  of  Year 

above  written. 

Geo:  Boone    (ss) 


32  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 


CHAPTER  III. 

-  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  IN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  the  brother  of  Mordecai,  also 
migrated  to  Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Springfield 
Township,  Chester  County,  in  or  about  the  year 
1729,  and  died  there  in  1745.  He  was  a  blacksmith 
as  well  as  a  yeoman.  The  following  records,  refer 
ring  to  him,  have  been  found  in  the  documents  still 
extant. 

Abraham  Lincoln  or  "Lincon"  is  mentioned  as 
one  of  the  22  Jurors  in  the  General  Quarter  Sessions 
of  the  Peace,  of  Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey, 
Nov.  22,  1720.  With  Robert  Lawrence  and  Cor- 
neles  van  Horen  he  made  an  inventory  of  Peter 
Gordon's  personal  estate  May  13,  1725.* 

The  first  appearance  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  name 
in  Pennsylvania  is  found  in  a  deed  issued  by  Thomas 
Williams,  of  Freehold,  New  Jersey,  to  "Abraham 
Lincon  of  Springfield,  in  the  County  of  Chester  and 
province  of  Pennsylvania"  under  date  of  January 
1 6,  1729.  From  this  document  we  learn  that  Abra 
ham  Lincoln  by  a  "bargain  of  Sale"  for  one  year 
had  already  occupied  the  tract  in  question  which 
was  situated  on  Crum  Creek.  It  would  thus  appear 
that  Abraham  Lincoln  moved  to  Pennsylvania  in 
January  or  March,  1728,  as  we  may  suppose  his 
occupancy  followed  quickly  upon  the  "bargain  of 

*  Cf.  New  Jersey  Archives,  First  Series  xxiii,  p.  190. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  33 

Sale"  which  seems  to  have  been  dated  January  I5th, 
1728.  The  deed,  recorded  in  West  Chester,  Pa., 
runs  as  follows : 

"THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  Sixteenth  day  of 
January  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  Thousand  and 
Seven  hundred  and  Twenty  nine  (thirty)  Between 
Thomas  Williams  of  freehold  in  the  County  of 
Monmouth  and  Prove  of  New  Jersey  Yeoman  of 
the  one  part  and  Abraham  Lincon  of  Springfield 
in  the  County  of  Chester  and  province  of  Pennsyl 
vania  Yeoman  of  the  other  part  WITNESSETH  that 
the  said  Thomas  Williams  for  an  in  Considera 
tion  of  the  sum  of  Three  hundred  and  Twenty 
pounds  Lawful  money  of  America  to  him  in  hand 
paid  by  the  sd  Abraham  Lincon  the  receipt  where 
of    is    hereby    acknowledged    and    thereof    doth 
acquit    &    forever    Discharge    the    said    Abra 
ham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  by  these  pres 
ents  Have  Granted  bargained  sold  aliened  enfe- 
offed  released  &  Confirmed  and  by  these  presents 
do  grant  bargain  sell  alien  enfeoffe  release  and 
Confirm  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs 
&  assigns  all  that  Tract  of  Land  Situate  in  Spring 
field   aforesaid   Containing  three   hundred   acres 
withe  allowances  of  Ten  acres  on  the  hundred 
all  the  Messuage  or  Tenement  &  Plantation  thereon 
BEGINNING  at  a  White  Oak  standing  bv  Crum 
Creek  thence  north  fifty  five  degrees  Easterly  by 
Bartho[l]omew  Coppocks  land  three  hundred  and 
sixty  seven  perches  to  a  Post  thence  south  Thirty 
five  degrees  Easterly  by  Thomas  Taylors  land  one 
hundred  and  Twenty  eight  perches  to  a  Black  Oak 
thence  south  fifty-five  degrees  West  by  George 


34  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Lowns  Land  four  hundred  and  Twenty  Seven 
perches  to  Crum  Creek  thence  along  the  said  Creek 
on  the  Several  Courses  thereof  To  the  place  of  Be 
ginning  Containing  three  hundred  and  Thirty  acres 
TOGETHER  with  all  the  Houses  out  Houses  Edi 
fices  Buildings  Gardens  orchards  mines  minerals 
Wods  undwoods  Medws  [sic]  Marshes  Swamps 
criples  ways  waters  waterCourses  fishings  fowlings 
haukings  Huntings  Rights  Libertys  Priviledges  Im 
provements  hereditaments  &  apurtenances  whatso 
ever  thereunto  belonging  or  in  any  wise  appertain 
ing  of  all  which  said  Land  and  premises  hereby 
Granted  with  their  appurtenances  the  said  Abra 
ham  Lincon  is  now  in  actual  Possession  by  force 
and  Virtue  of  a  bargain  and  Sale  to  him  thereof 
made  by  the  said  Thomas  Williams  for  the  Term 
of  one  Year  as  by  an  Indenture  in  that  behalf 
made  bearing  Date  the  day  next  before  the  day 
of  the  date  hereof  may  apear  and  the  Reversions 
and  remainders  rents  Issues  and  profits  thereof 
and  all  Deeds  Writings  and  Evidences  whatsoever 
Concerning  the  same  To  HAVE  &  TO  HOLD  the  said 
Messuage  or  Tenement  Plantation  and  three  hun 
dred  and  Thirty  acres  of  land  and  premises  hereby 
Granted  or  mentioned  so  to  be  with  their  Appur 
tenances  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  and  his 
heirs  to  the  only  proper  use  and  behoof  of  the 
said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  for 
ever  UNDER  the  Yearly  Quitrent  hereafter  accru 
ing  to  the  Lord  of  the  fee  thereof  AND  the  said 
Thomas  Williams  &  his  heirs  the  sd  Messuage  or 
Tenement  three  hundred  and  Thirty  acres  of  Land 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  35 

Hereditaments  and  premises  hereby  Granted  with 
their  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lin- 
con  his  heirs  and  Assigns  against  him  the  said 
Thomas  Williams,  and  his  heirs  &  against  him  the 
said  Thomas  Williams  [any]  persons  whomsoever 
Lawfully  Claiming  or  to  Claime  by  from  or  under 
him  or  his  heirs  shall  and  will  Warant  and  Defend 
forever  by  these  presents  AND  the  said  Thomas 
Williams  for  himself  and  his  heirs  doth  Covenant 
Promise  and  Grant  to  and  with  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  his  heirs  &  assigns  by  these  presents 
Thatt  he  hath  in  himself  Good  right  full  Lawful 
and  Absolute  Power  and  Authority  to  Grant  bar 
gain  sell  &  Convey  all  the  said  Messuage  or  Tene 
ment  Plantation  land  &  premises  hereby  Granted 
with  their  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  in  manner  aforesaid 
AND  thatt  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and 
assigns  shall  or  Lawfully  may  from  time  to  time 
and  at  all  times  hereafter  forever  freely  quietly  & 
peaceably  have  hold  Occupy  Possess  and  Enjoy 
the  sd  Mesuage  Plantation  Land  and  premises  and 
every  part  thereof  with  the  Appurtenances  &  re 
ceive  and  Take  all  the  rents  Issues  and  profits 
thereof  without  any  manner  of  Lett  Suit  Trouble 
or  Molestation  whatsoever  by  any  person  or  per 
sons  whomsoever  AND  ALSO  that  the  said  Mesuage 
land  and  premises  with  their  appurtenances  now 
are  and  from  time  to  time  forever  hereafter  shall 
remain  Continue  and  be  unto  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  [and]  his  heirs  free  and  Clear  and  freely 
and  clearly  aquited  and  discharged  of  &  from  all 


36  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

and  all  manner  of  former  &  other  bargains  Sales 
Gifts  Grants  Jointures  Devises  Mortgages  Intails 
Rents  Arrearages  of  Rents  [  ?]  little  charges  or  In- 
cumbrances  whatsoever  the  proprietors  Quitrents 
hereafter  acrueing  for  the  same  only  Excepted  AND 
LASTLY  that  he  the  said  Thomas  and  his  heirs  and 
assigns  and  all  and  every  other  person  &  persons 
Whomsoever  Lawfully  Claiming  or  to  Claim  the 
said  Messuage  Land  and  premises  hereby  Granted 
shall  and  will  from  time  to  time  and  at  all  times 
hereafter  upon  the  request  Cost  and  Charge  in  the 
Law  of  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  or  as 
signs  make  do  Execute  and  Acknowledge  or  Cause 
so  to  be  all  &  every  such  further  and  other  reason 
able  act  &  acts  Deed  or  Deeds  Device  or  Devices 
in  the  Law  for  the  further  and  better  assuring  and 
Confirmation  of  the  said  Messuage  Land  &  Plan 
tation  hereby  Granted  with  their  appurtenances 
unto  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  as 
signs  as  by  him  or  them  or  by  his  or  their  Counsel 
Learned  in  the  Law  shall  be  reasonably  Devised 
advised  or  Requred  [sic] 

IN  WITNESS  whereof  the  said  Thomas  Williams 
hath  hereunto  set  his  hand  and  affixed  his  Seal  the 
day  &  Year  first  abov  Written. 

Thomas  Williams     (Seal) 

Sealed  and  Delivered 
by    the    said    Thomas 
Williams  in  the  pres 
ence  of 

Robert  Lawrence 
John  Coward — 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  37 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED  the  fourteenth  day  of  Sep 
tember  1747  Before  me  Benjamin  Shoemaker  Esqr 
one  of  the  justices  &c  personally  Came  and  ap 
peared  William  Lawrence  of  the  City  of  Philadel 
phia  Merchant  and  the  within  Written  Indenture 

his 
subscribed    Thomas    (X)    Williams    to    Seal    & 

mark 

with  the  names  Rob1  Lawrence  &  John  Coward 
&c." 

[W.  Lawrence  attested  the  signature  of  his  father 
Robert  and  the  deed  was  recorded  Aug.  22,  1785.] 

This  same  year,  1729,  and  later,  we  find  the  name 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  among  the  taxables  of  Chester 
County,  as  the  following  excerpts  from  the  originals 
show : 

1729  Springfield 

Abraham  Lincon 14  s.  d. 

1730  Springfield 

Abraham  Lincon 12  s.  d. 

The  name  Abraham  Lincoln  continues  to  be 
written  this  way  until  1739,  when  we  have  the  fol 
lowing  entry : 

1739  Springfield 

Abraham  Linghorn 

1740  Springfield 
Abram  Lincoln 

Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield,  before  migrat 
ing  from  New  Jersey,  owned  two  considerable  tracts 
of  land  in  Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  land  records.  One  of  these  tracts, 


38  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

containing  240  acres,  was  granted  to  him  by  Safety 
Borden,  February  nth,  1722,  and  the  other  tract, 
containing  200  acres,  was  granted  him  by  Abraham 
Vanhorn,  March  25th,  1725.  After  purchasing  the 
tract  in  Springfield  Township,  on  Crum  Creek,  from 
Thomas  Williams,  Lincoln  sold  both  of  the  above 
tracts  in  East  Jersey  to  Thomas  Williams,  April  29, 
1730,  for  the  sum  of  590  pounds.  The  following 
deed  relates  the  brief  title  and  sets  forth  the  condi 
tions  of  sale : 

THIS  INDENTURE,  Made  the  Twenty  ninth  day 
of  April  in  the  third  Year  of  the  Reign  of  Our 
Sovereign  Lord  George  the  Second  by  the  Grace 
of  God  of  Great  Britain  France  &  Ireland  King, 
Defender  of  the  Faith  &c.  Anno  Domini  One 
Thousand  Seven  hundred  &  thirty  Between  Abra 
ham  Lincon  of  the  County  of  Monmouth  in  the 
Eastern  Division  of  the  Province  of  New  Jersey 
Blacksmith  of  the  one  part  And  Thomas  Wil 
liams  of  the  Same  County  Yeoman  of  the  other 
part  WITNESSETH  that  the  said  Abraham  Lincon 
for  &  in  Consideration  of  the  Sum  of  Five  Hun 
dred  &  Ninety  Pounds  Current  Money  of  the  Said 
Province  to  him  in  hand  Paid  before  the  Enseal- 
ing  &  Delivery  of  these  Presents  by  him  the  said 
Thomas  Williams  the  Receit  whereof  he  the  Said 
Abraham  Lincon  doth  hereby  acknowledge  &  him 
self  to  be  therewith  fully  &  Entirely  Satisfied 
Contented  &  Paid  &  thereof  &  of  &  from  every 
Part  &  parcel  thereof  Doth  fully  clearly  &  abso 
lutely  Acquit  Exonerate  &  Discharge  him  the 
Said  Thomas  Williams  his  Heirs  Executors  Ad- 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  39 

ministrators  &  Every  of  them  forEver  by  these 
presents  HATH  granted  bargained  &  Sold  Aliened 
enfeoffed  &  Confirmed  And  by  these  Presents 
Doth  fully  clearly  &  absolutely  Grant  Bargain 
&  Sell  Alien  enfeoffe  Release  Convey  &  Con 
firm  unto  him  the  Said  Thomas  Williams  his 
Heirs  &  Assigns  forEver  All  those  two  Tracts 
of  Land  Scituate  Lying  &  Being  near  Cross- 
weeks  in  the  County  aforesaid  herein  after  Abut 
ted  Bounded  &  Described  Viz :  All  that  Tract  of 
Land  which  was  Granted  &  Confirmed  unto  him 
the  Said  Abraham  Lincon  by  deed  from  Safety 
Borden  bearing  date  the  Eleventh  day  of  Febru 
ary  Anno  Domini  1722  Containing  Two  Hundred 
&  forty  Acres  be  the  Same  more  or  less  BEGIN 
NING  at  a  Stake  Standing  in  the  Clear  Land,  which 
is  a  corner  of  Benjamin  Bordens  Land  Twenty 
five  Chains  from  Burlington  Path  &  Ten  Chains 
Eastward  of  the  Land  in  possession  of  Richard 
Borden  &  Running  North  North  West  Twenty 
three  Chains  Sixty  five  Links  to  the  South  East 
Corner  of  Abraham  Vanhorns  Land  And  from 
said  Beginning  Stake  Running  North  Seventy 
Seven  Degrees  Easterly  Forty  &  two  Chains,  Then 
South  East  to  Burlington  Path  &  North  Easterly 
along  the  Path  to  the  Pines  &  following  the  Pines 
to  the  corner  of  John  Limings  Land  Then  South 
Seventy  Seven  Degrees  West  along  said  Limmings 
line  to  the  above  named  Vanhornes  land  and 
following  said  Vanhornes  lines  to  the  South 
East  Corner  of  his  Land  as  above  mentioned 
BOUNDED  North  Westwardly  by  Vanhorns  & 
Limmings  Land  South  Westwardly  by  Benja- 


4O  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

min  Bordens  Land  South  Eastwardly  partly  by 
Benjamin  Borden  &  partly  by  Burlington  Path 
North  Eastwardly  by  the  Pines  AND  ALSO  All  that 
tract  of  Land  which  was  granted  &  Confirmed 
to  him  the  Said  Abraham  Lincon  by  Deed  from 
Abraham  Vanhorn  bearing  Date  the  Twenty  fifth 
day  of  March  Anno  Domini  1725  Containing  Two 
Hundred  Acres — BEGINNING  at  a  stake  Standing 
in  the  rere  of  the  Lott  of  Land  formerly  Job 
Throckmortons  of  which  Lott  this  Two  Hundred 
Acres  is  part,  which  Stake  Stands  Ten  Chains 
from  the  South  Westernmost  Corner  of  the  Said 
Lott  &  from  thence  running  South  South  East 
Fifty  One  Chains  &  thirty  five  Links  Thence  North 
Seventy  Seven  Degrees  Easterly  Thirty  One 
Chains  &  twenty  Links  to  the  Line  of  Land  lately 
Sold  to  James  Borden,  Thence  North  North  West 
Eleven  Chains  &  an  half  to  a  Maple  Tree 
by  a  Brook  marked  on  four  sides  Thence  up  the 
said  Brook  Ten  Chains  &  forty  Links  to  where  the 
Line  of  the  said  Land  sold  to  James  Borden  cross 
es  said  Brook  Thence  North  North  West  Thirty 
seven  Chains  &  one  Rodd  Thence  South  seventy 
seven  Degrees  Westwardly  Forty  two  Chains  to 
the  Place  where  it  Began  Bounded  Southerly  Ten 
Chain  short  of  the  Land  on  which  Richard  Bor 
den  formerly  lived,  Easterly  by  the  first  above- 
mentioned  Tract  of  Land  Northerly  by  the  Land 
Sold  to  James  Borden  Westerly  by  the  Rere  Line 
of  said  Lott  Together  with  all  &  all  manner  of 
Housings  Buildings  Edifices  Structures  Barns 
Stables  Orchards  Fencings  Feedings  Improve 
ments  Pastures  Meadows  Woods  Trees  Waters 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  4! 

Brooks  Springs  Ponds  Pools  Pits  Easements  Pro 
fits  Commodities  Royalties  Liberties  Advantages 
Emoluments  Hereditaments  &  Appurtenances 
whatsoever  To  the  said  Two  Tracts  of  Land  Be 
longing  or  in  any  manner  of  Ways  thereunto  Ap 
pertaining  And  also  all  the  Estate  Right  Title 
Interest  Possession  Property  Claims  &  Demand 
whatsoever  of  him  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  & 
his  Heirs  as  well  in  Law  as  in  Equity  of  in  or  unto 
the  said  Two  Tracts  &  Granted  &  Bargained  Prem 
ises  with  the  Appurtenancies  with  the  Reversion  & 
Reversions  Remainder  &  Remainders  thereof  & 
of  every  part  &  parcel  thereof  as  fully  &  amply  to 
all  Intents  Constructions  &  Purposes  whatsoever 
as  the  same  was  Granted  &  Confirmed  unto  him 
the  said  Abraham  Lincon  in  &  by  the  two  Deeds 
before  mentioned  Relation  to  the  Same  being  had 
more  fully  &  at  large  may  Appear  To  Have  and 
to  Hold  the  said  Two  Tracts  of  Land  &  Granted 
&  Bargained  Premises  with  all  &  singular  the 
Rights  Members  &  Appurtenances  to  the  same  be 
longing  unto  him  the  said  Thomas  Williams  his 
Heirs  &  Assigns  for  Ever  To  the  only  proper 
Use  Benefit  &  behoof  of  him  the  said  Thomas 
Williams  his  Heirs  &  Assigns  for  Ever  Yeild- 
ing  &  Paying  therefore  Yearly  and  Every  Year 
hereafter  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his 
Heirs  &  Assigns  for  Ever  as  an  Acknowledg 
ment  for  the  first  mentioned  Tract  of  Land  upon 
the  Feast  of  St.  Michael  the  Arch- Angel  the 
Sum  of  One  Penny  good  &  Lawful  Money, 
when  the  same  shall  be  legally  Demanded  upon 
the  Premises  And  he  the  said  Abraham  Lin- 


42  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

con  for  himself  his  Heirs  Executors  &  Admin 
istrators  Doth  Covenant  Promise  Grant  &  Agree 
to  and  with  him  the  said  Thomas  Williams 
his  Heirs  &  Assigns  by  these  presents  in  man 
ner  &  form  following  Viz1:  That  at  the  time 
of  the  Sealing  &  Delivery  hereof  he  the  said  Abra 
ham  Lincon  is  Lawfully  Seized  of  the  Said  Two 
Tracts  of  Land  as  above  bounded  &  all  &  singular 
&  every  the  Premises  &  Appurtenances  thereof  of 
a  good,  sure,  pure,  perfect  &  absolute  Lawful 
Indefeazable  Estate  of  Inheritance  in  the  Law, 
in  his  proper  Demesne  as  of  Fee  without  any  Con 
dition  or  Limitation  of  any  Use  or  Uses  Estate  or 
Estates  in  or  to  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever 
so  as  to  Alter  Change  Charge  Defeat  Determine 
or  make  Void  the  Same,  or  any  part  thereof  And 
that  he  the  Said  Abraham  Lincon  hath  in  himself 
good  Rightfull  Power  and  absolute  Lawful  Au 
thority  to  Grant  Bargain  &  Sell  the  same  & 
Every  part  thereof  unto  him  the  Said  Thomas  Wil 
liams  his  Heirs  &  Assigns  for  ever  in  manner 
aforesaid  And  that  the  same  now  is  free  &  from 
time  to  time  &  at  all  times  hereafter  Shall  remain 
&  be  free  &  clear  to  him  the  Said  Thomas  Wil 
liams,  his  Heirs  &  Assigns  for  Ever  from  all  & 
all  manner  of  former  &  other  Gifts  Grants  Bar 
gains  Sales  Leases  Mortgages  &  of  &  from  all- 
other  Titles  Troubles  Charges  Demands  &  Incum- 
brances  whatsoever  had  made  Committed  done  or 
suffered  to  bedone  by  him  the  Said  Abraham  Lin 
con  or  any  other  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever  by 
from  or  under  him  so  as  to  Alter  Change  Charge 
De  fecit  or  make  Void  this  Same. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  43 

His  Rents  or  Services  that  for  the  last  men 
tioned  Tract  Shall  become  due  to  the  Lords  Pro 
prietors  only  Excepted  AND  FURTHER  he  the  Said 
Abraham  Lincon  for  him-self  his  Heirs  Executors 
&  Administrators  Doth  hereby  Covenant  Promise 
Grant  &  Agree  the  Said  Two  Tracts  of  Land  & 
Granted  &  Bargained  Premises  with  the  Appur 
tenances  unto  him  the  Said  Thomas  Williams  & 
his  Heirs  &  Assigns,  against  him  the  Said  Abra 
ham  Lincon  &  his  Heirs  &  all  &  Every  other 
Person  or  Persons  whatsoever  lawfully  laying 
claim  to  the  same  or  to  any  part  or  parcel  thereof 
shall  &  will  Warrant  &  for  Ever  by  these  Pres 
ents  Defend  In  Witness  whereof  he  the  Said 
Abraham  Lincon  hath  hereunto  Set  his  hand  & 
Seal  the  day  and  year  first  above  written 

Abraham  (L.  S.)  Lincon 

The  written  within  Instrument 
Sealed  &  Delivered  in  the  presence  of 
Benj.  Price  Lawr  Smyth 

An  old  document,  the  petition  of  Mordecai  Tay 
lor  of  the  township  of  Springfield  for  a  tavern 
license,  contains  the  signature  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
This  petition  sets  forth  so  vividly  the  primitive  con 
ditions  of  the  Great  Road  leading  from  Darby  to 
Springfield  in  1743,  that  it  is  printed  here: 

Chester  Co.  To  his  Majesties  Justices  of  the 
peace  at  the  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions 
held  at  Chester  the  3ist  day  of  August  Annoq 
Domini  1743 — 

The  Petition  of  Mordecai  Taylor  of  the  Town 
ship  of  Springfield — 
Humbly  Sheweth 


44  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

That  whereas  your  Petitioner  living  on  the  Great 
Road  leading  from  Darby  to  Springfield  &  so 
into  Conostogoe  Road  being  a  Commodious  place 
for  a  House  of  Entertainment  and  no  Tavern 
being  within  four  Miles  of  him,  And  Travellers 
daily  travelling  that  Road  And  People  going  back 
and  forward  sometimes  Twenty  or  Thirty  Wag 
gons  of  a  Day  And  Calling  at  your  Petitioners 
House,  which  is  a  great  Trouble  &  Expense  to  Yor 
Petit1"  Therefore  he  prays  that  your  Honours 
would  be  pleased  to  grant  him  a  Recommendation 
to  the  Governor  for  a  Lycence  Accordingly  And 
your  Petit1"  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray 

Mordecai  Taylor. 

We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed  being 
well  Acquainted  with  the  above  Petitioner  believe 
him  to  be  a  suitable  person  to  keep  a  Public  house 
of  Entertainment  And  prays  that  You  would  be 
pleased  to  grant  him  a  Recommendation  to  the 
Governor  for  a  Lycence  Accordingly 

B  Davis  Joseph  Powell    Jos :  Levis 

Thomas  Taylor  Bartholomew  Coppock 

John  Owen  Mordecai  Massey 

Jn°  Levis  James  Rhoades 

Abrm  Lincon  John  Rhoads 

M  Maddock  Thomas  Fall 

James  Crozer  Joseph  Maris 

Jno  Gibbons  Bernhard  Van  Leer 

Jos.  Harvey  Jsaac  Collier  * 


*  From  the  collection  of  Mr.   Gilbert  Cope,  who  kindly 
furnished  the  writer  with  a  photograph  of  the  Petition. 


(^    Jfo$&~  ',/^MO, 

-Vl     ^Sfi         _  7*-v  /  '/ 


PETITION  FOR  TAVERN  LICENSE,  SHOWING  SIGNATURE  OF  ABRAHAM 

LINCOLN,  OF  SPRINGFIELD. 
(Original  in  the  Possession  of  Mr.  Gilbert  Cope.) 


AN   AMERICAN   MIGRATION  45 

In  the  year  1744  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Spring 
field,  bought  property  in  Elbow  lane  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  from  William  Clare  and  from  John 
Clare  and  John  Clare's  sister,  Esther.  In  his  will 
Lincoln  mentions  a  property  bought  of  Humphrey 
Clase  (Classe)  in  the  same  city.  In  the  deeds  to  the 
Clare  properties,  Lincoln  is  spoken  of  as  "Yeoman 
of  Springfield,  Chester  County."  The  relation  of 
Humphrey  Clase  in  the  transaction  appears  in  the 
deeds  which  follow.  The  deed  of  William  Clare 
conveying  this  portion  of  the  tract  in  question  and 
received  from  the  estate  of  his  father  (William 
Clare,  deceased),  here  follows  in  its  essential  parts: 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  Twenty  Ninth  day 
of  March  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  forty  four  Between  William 
Clare  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  in  the  Province 
of  Pennsylvania  Cordwainer  of  the  one  part  and 
Abraham  Lincon  of  Springfield  in  the  County  of 
Chester  Yeoman  of  the  other  part  Whereas  in  and 
by  certain  Indentures  of  lease  and  release  bearing 
date  respectively  the  twenty  third  and  twenty 
fourth  days  of  June  1720  made  between  Joshua 
Carpenter  of  the  said  City  Gentleman  and  Eliza 
beth  his  wife  of  the  one  part  and  John  Rakestraw 
of  the  same  City  Carter  and  Ruth  his  wife  of  the 
other  part  he  the  said  Joshua  Carpenter  and  Eliz 
abeth  his  wife  did  for  the  considerations  therein 
mentioned  grant  release  and  confirm  unto  the  said 
lohn  Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his  wife  A  Certain 
piece  or  parcel  of  ground  situate  lying  and  being 


46  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

in  Philadelphia  aforesaid  Containing  in  front  or 
breadth  on  Elbow  Lane  thirty  seven  feet  and  in 
length  forty  four  feet  Bounded  northward  with 
Elbow  Lane  aforesaid  Eastward  with  George  Em- 
len's  lot  Southward  by  the  back  of  Chesnut  Street 
lots  and  westward  with  other  ground  of  the  said 
Joshua  Carpenter  with  its  appurtenances  to  hold 
to  them  the  said  John  Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his 
wife  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever  Yielding  and 
Paying  yearly  and  every  year  unto  the  said  loshua 
Carpenter  his  heirs  and  assigns  the  rent  or  sum  of 
two  pounds  nine  shillings  and  four  pence  lawful 
money  of  America  at  the  rates  appointed  by  the 
late  Act  of  Parliament  for  ascertaining  the  rates 
of  foreign  coin  in  the  Plantations  of  America  *  * 
[recital  of  earlier  title]  ******** 
Now  this  indenture  witnesseth  that  for  and 
in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  fifty  pounds  law 
ful  money  of  the  Province  aforesaid  unto  the  said 
William  Clare  party  thereto  well  and  truly  paid 
by  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  at  or  before  the  seal 
ing  and  delivery  of  these  presents  the  receipt 
whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged  and  thereof  doth 
acquit  and  forever  discharge  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  his  heirs  executors  and  administrators  for 
ever  he  the  said  William  Clare  party  hereto  Hath 
granted  bargained  sold  released  and  confirmed 
and  by  these  presents  Doth  grant  bargain  sell  re 
lease  and  confirm  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lincon 
in  his  actual  possession  now  being,  and  unto  his 
heirs  and  assigns  All  that'  the  said  westernmost 
tenement  new  erected  on  the  said  piece  of  ground 
before  described  on  the  south  side  of  Elbow  Lane 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  47 

Containing  thirty  seven  feet  by  forty  four  with  a 
proportionate  part  of  the  said  piece  of  ground 
thereunto  belonging  ********* 
IN  WITNESS  whereof  the  said  parties  to  these 
presents  have  hereunto  interchangeably  set  their 
hands  and  seals  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written 

William  Clare     (Seal) 

Sealed  and  Delivered 
in  the  Presence  of  us 

Harry  Travers  Joseph  Breintnall 

[Signature  of  Grantor  acknowledged  March  30 
1744.  Recorded  April  29  1835] 

The  deed*  of  John  Clare  and  Humphrey  Clase  (the 
husband  of  John  Clare's  sister  Esther)  conveying  the 
shares  of  John  and  Esther  to  Abraham  Lincoln  ex 
plains  the  appearance  of  Humphrey  Clase  in  the 
transaction,  and  shows  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  of 
Springfield,  bought  at  least  three  of  the  four  shares 
of  the  tract  of  ground  left  by  William  Clare,  Sr.,  to 
his  four  children,  George,  William,  Jr.,  John  and  Es 
ther  (who  married  Humphrey  Clase)  : 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  nineteenth  day  of 
November  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  forty  four  Between  John  Clare 
of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  Cordwainer  and  Abigal 
his  wife  and  Humphrey  Classe  of  the  said  City 


*  Deed  Book  60,  p.  601  ff,  City  Hall,  Philadelphia. 


48  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

Mariner  and  Esther  his  wife  (sister  of  the  said 
lohn  Clare)  of  the  one  part  and  Abraham  Lincon 
of  Springfield  in  the  County  of  Chester  Yeoman 
of  the  other  part  Whereas  in  and  by  a  certain 
Indenture  of  lease  and  release  bearing  date  the 
twenty  third  and  twenty  fourth  days  of  lune  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty  made  between 
loshua  Carpenter  of  the  said  City  Gentleman  and 
Elizabeth  his  wife  of  the  one  part  and  lohn  Rake- 
straw  of  the  said  City  Carter  and  Ruth  his  wife 
of  the  other  part  he  the  said  loshua  Carpenter  and 
Elizabeth  his  wife  for  and  in  the  Consideration 
therein  mentioned  did  grant  release  and  Confirm 
unto  the  said  lohn  Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his 
wife  A  Certain  piece  or  parcel  of  land  situate 
lying  and  being  in  Philadelphia  aforesaid  Con 
taining  in  breadth  upon  Elbow  Lane  thirty 
seven  feet  and  in  length  forty  four  feet  Bounded 
northward  with  Elbow  Lane  aforesaid  east 
ward  with  George  Emlen's  lot  southward  with 
the  back  of  Chestnut  Street  lots  and  west 
ward  with  the  other  ground  of  the  said  loshua 
Carpenter  with  the  appurtenances  to  hold  to  them 
the  said  loshua  Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his  wife  their 
heirs  and  assigns  forever  Yielding  and  paying 
yearly  and  every  year  unto  the  said  loshua  Carpen 
ter  his  heirs  and  assigns  the  rent  or  sum  of  two 
pounds  nine  shillings  and  four  pence  lawful  money 
of  America  at  the  rate  appointed  by  the  late  act  of 
Parliament  for  ascertaining  the  rates  of  foreign 
coins  in  the  Plantations  in  America  on  the  twenty 


AN  AMERICAN    MIGRATION  49 

fourth  day  of  lune  yearly  forever  with  clauses  of 
reentry  and  distress  for  non  payment  AND  WHERE 
AS  in  and  by  a  certain  Indenture  bearing  date  the 
first  day  of  July  1721  (And  Recorded  at  Phila 
delphia  in  Deed  Book  vol  2  page  204  &c)  made 
between  the  said  John  Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his 
wife  of  one  part  and  William  Clare  of  the  said 
City  Cordwainer  father  of  the  said  John  Clare  of 
the  other  part  they  the  said  lohn  Rakestraw  and 
Ruth  his  wife  for  the  consideration  therein  men 
tioned  did  grant  release  and  confirm  unto  the  said 
William  Clare  his  heirs  and  assigns  all  that  the 
above  mentioned  and  described  piece  or  parcel  of 
land  with  a  certain  messuage  or  tenement  there  on 
built  and  erected  by  the  said  lohn  Rakestraw  To 
gether  also  with  all  and  singular  other  the  build 
ings  improvements  ways  alleys  passages  waters 
water  courses  rights  easements  rights  liberties 
privileges  hereditaments  and  appurtenances  what 
soever  thereunto  belonging  and  the  reversions  and 
remainders  rents  issues  and  profits  thereof  and 
all  the  estate  right  title  interest  use  possession 
property  claim  and  demand  of  them  the  said  lohn 
Rakestraw  and  Ruth  his  wife  of  in  and  to  the 
hereby  granted  premises  and  true  copies  of  all 
deeds  evidences  and  writings  concerning  the  prem 
ises  to  be  had  and  taken  at  the  proper  costs  and 
charges  of  the  said  William  Clare  his  heirs  or 
assigns  which  last  recited  Indenture  contains  a 
covenant  on  the  part  of  the  said  William  Clare  his 
heirs  and  assigns  well  and  truly  to  pay  and  dis 
charge  yearly  forever  the  said  rent  of  two  pounds 


5O  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

nine  shillings  and  four  pence  AND  WHEREAS  the 
said  William  Clare  after  having  built  and  erected 
another  messuage  or  tenement  on  the  said  de 
scribed  lot  of  ground  made  his  last  will  and  testa 
ment  bearing  date  the  seventeenth  day  of  the 
fourth  month  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
thirty  two  wherein  he  disposed  of  his  estate  in  the 
world  viz.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  beloved 
wife  Esther  Clare  all  my  real  and  personal  estate 
goods  and  chattels  whatsoever  to  have  the  full 
and  free  use  of  them  during  her  life  and  after  her 
decease  to  be  divided  equally  amongst  all  my  chil 
dren  Item  I  make  my  aforesaid  wife  full  and 
sole  executrix  of  this  my  last  will  and  testament 
And  Whereas  the  said  Executrix  survived  the  said 
testator  some  time  and  is  since  deceased  and  there 
upon  the  children  namely  George  Clare  William 
Clare  lohn  Clare  and  Esther  Clare  by  Indenture 
bearing  date  the  Sixteenth  day  of  October  1742 
and  then  intended  to  be  recorded  [Recorded  in 
Book  9  Vol.  5  page  101  &c]  and  an  amicable  par 
tition  and  division  of  the  said  Estate  whereby  it 
was  agreed  among  other  things  that  the  said  lohn 
Clare  and  his  said  sister  Esther  shall  hold  enjoy 
and  have  the  Easternmost  which  is  the  largest  of 
the  two  tenements  erected  on  the  said  piece  of 
ground  of  thirty  seven  feet  in  breadth  by  forty 
four  feet  in  length  with  a  proportionable  part  of 
the  same  piece  of  ground  Together  with  the  ap 
purtenances  which  Easternmost  Tenement  and  the 
ground  thereto  belonging  are  bargained  and  sold 
and  intended  to  be  hereby  conveyed  unto  the  said 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  51 

Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns.  Now  this 
indenture  witnesseth  that  the  said  lohn  Clare  and 
Abigail  his  wife  and  Humphrey  Clase  and 
Esther  his  wife  for  and  in  consideration  of  the 
sum  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  lawful 
money  of  Pennsylvania  to  them  in  hand  paid  and 
secured  to  be  paid  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby 
acknowledged  HAVE  and  each  of  them  hath 
granted  bargained  sold  released  and  confirmed  and 
by  these  presents  Do  and  each  of  them  DOTH 
grant  bargain  sell  release  and  confirm  unto  the 
said  Abraham  Lincon  and  to  his  heirs  and  assigns 
ALL  that  the  said  Easternmost  tenement  and  the 
ground  thereunto  belonging  situate  on  the  South 
side  of  Elbow  Lane  as  aforesaid  Together  with  all 
the  ways  alleys  waters  water  courses  rights  [?] 
easements  rights  liberties  privileges  hereditaments 
and  appurtenances  thereunto  belonging  or  in  any 
wise  appurtaining  and  all  the  estate  right  title  in 
terest  use  possession  property  claim  and  demands 
of  them  the  said  grantors  or  either  or  any  of  them 
of  in  or  to  the  hereby  granted  premises  and  true 
copies  of  all  deeds  evidences  and  writings  concern 
ing  the  same  to  have  and  to  hold  the  said  Eastern 
most  tenement  situate  on  the  south  side  of  Elbow 
Lane  and  a  proportionable  part  thereto  belonging 
of  the  said  lot  of  ground  of  thirty  seven  foot  by 
forty  four  foot  hereditaments  and  premises  hereby 
granted  or  mentioned  or  inteded  to  be  granted 
with  the  appurtenances  unto  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  and  his  heirs  to  the  use  and  behoof  of  the 
said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever 


52  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Subject  to  a  proportionable  part  of  the  said  recited 
rent  of  two  pounds  nine  shillings  and  four  pence 
And  the  said  lohn  Clare  and  Abigail  his  wife  and 
Humphey  Clase  and  Esther  his  wife  the  hereby 
granted  premises  against  them  and  each  of  them 
and  all  persons  lawfully  claiming  under  them  unto 
the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns 
shall  and  will  warrant  and  forever  defend  by  these 
presents  And  the  said  lohn  Clare  for  himself  his 
heirs  executors  and  administrators  and  for  the 
said  Abigail  his  wife  and  the  said  Humphey  Clase 
for  himself  his  heirs  executors  and  administra 
tors  for  the  said  Esther  his  wife  do  respectively 
covenant  promise  and  grant  that  they  the  said  lohn 
Clare  and  Abigail  his  wife  and  Humphey  Clase  and 
Esther  his  wife  shall  and  will  at  any  time  or 
times  hereafter  at  the  reasonable  request  cost  and 
charges  in  the  law  of  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his 
heirs  or  assigns  make  execute  and  acknowledge 
or  cause  so  to  be  all  and  every  such  further  and 
other  reasonable  act  and  acts  deed  or  deeds  device 
or  devices  in  law  for  the  further  and  better  assur 
ance  and  confirmation  of  the  said  tenement  and 
proportionable  piece  of  ground  hereditaments  and 
premises  hereby  granted  as  mentioned  to  be  grant 
ed  with  the  appurtenances  unto  the  said  Abraham 
Lincon  his  heirs  and  assigns  (under  the  propor 
tionable  part  of  rent  aforesaid)  as  by  him  or  them 
or  his  or  their  counsel  learned  in  the  law  shall  be 
reasonably  devised  advised  or  required  In  Wit 
ness  whereof  the  said  parties  to  these  presents  have 


THE  WILL  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  OF  SPRINGFIELD. 
(Original  in  City  Hall,  Philadelphia.) 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  53 

hereunto  interchangeably  set  their  hands  and  seals 
the  day  and  year  first  above  written 

Esther  Classe  (Seal) 

Humphrey  Classe  (Seal) 

John  Clare  (Seal) 

Abigail  Clare  (Seal) 

Sealed  and  Delivered  in 

the  Presence  of  us 
Jos  Howell    Joseph  Brentnall 

The  Twentieth  day  of  November  1744 

Before  me  Joshua  Maddox  Esquire  one  of  the 
Justices  &c  came  the  within  named  lohn  Clare  and 
Abigail  his  wife  and  Humphey  Classe  and  Esther 
his  wife  and  acknowledged  the  with  in  written 
Indenture  to  be  their  and  each  of  their  act  and 
deed  and  desired  the  same  may  be  recorded  And 
the  said  Abigail  and  Esther  being  of  full  age  and 
apart  examined  willingly  consented. 

Witness  my  Hand  and  seal  the  day  and  year 
aforesaid 

Recorded  April  2Qth  1835 

Josh.  Maddox     (Seal) 

Abraham  Lincoln  made  his  will  April  15,  1745. 
He  died  a  very  few  days  later,  for  the  inventory  is 
dated  April  30,  1745.  Both  the  will  and  the  inven 
tory  are  interesting  documents  and  shed  much  light 
upon  the  history  of  this  branch  of  the  family.  Abra 
ham  bequeathed  his  estate  as  follows : 


54  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

J  ABRAHAM  LINCON  of  Springfield  in  the  County 
of  Chester  in  the  Province  of  Pensilvania  Black 
smith  being  sick  and  weak  in  body  but  of  well  dis 
posing  mind  and  Memory  Praise  be  given  to  Al 
mighty  God  therefore  but  in  Consideration  of  the 
Uncertainty  of  this  Mortal  state  and  not  knowing 
how  it  may  please  the  Lord  to  deal  with  me  at 
this  time  DO  make  and  Ordain  this  my  last  Will 
and  Testament  in  Manner  and  form  following 
First  and  Principally  I  recommend  my  Soul  into 
the  hands  of  God  that  gave  it  and  my  body  I  com 
mit  to  the  Earth  to  be  buried  in  a  Christian  like 
and  decent  manner  at  the  discretion  of  my  Execu 
tors  AND  as  Touching  such  worldly  Estate  as  it 
hath  pleased  the  Lord  to  bestow  upon  me  I  give 
and  dispose  thereof  as  followeth  IMPRIMIS  my 
will  is  that  in  the  first  place  all  my  Just  debts  and 
funeral  Expenses  be  duly  paid  and  discharged 
ITEM  I  give  to  my  son  lohn  all  and  singular  the 
Land  and  Premises  with  the  Appurtenances  /  it 
being  part  and  parcel  of  the  Plantation  whereon 
I  now  dwell  /  Lying  on  the  North  East  side  of  the 
Road  leading  to  Chester  to  HOLD  to  him  my  said 
son  lohn  his  Heirs  and  Assigns  for  ever  but  if  my 
son  lohn  should  happen  to  dye  before  he  Attains 
to  the  age  of  Twenty  one  Years  then  my  will  is 
and  I  give  all  the  said  Land  unto  my  son  Abraham 
his  Heirs  and  Assigns  forever  ITEM  I  give  and  de 
vise  unto  my  son  lacob  all  the  Residue  of  this  my 
Plantation  Situate  on  the  South  West  side  the 
Road  aforsaid  with  all  and  Singular  the  Ap 
purtenances  to  Hold  to  him  my  said  son  lacob  his 
Heirs  and  Assigns  for  ever  PROVIDED  also  and 
Upon  Condition  Nevertheless  that  my  son  lacob 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  55 

Builds  a  Brick  dwelling  House  for  the  Use  of  my 
son  lohn  at  some  Convenient  place  on  the 
land  devised  to  my  son  lohn  as  aforsaid  at 
some  time  within  the  Term  of  Ten  Years  after  the 
date  of  this  my  Will  which  House  shall  be  Seven 
teen  foot  Square  from  out  to  out  Cellar'd  Under 
and  Carried  Up  two  story  high  with  a  Cedar 
Roof  and  Windows  Suitable  to  the  Building  ITEM 
I  give  and  devise  Unto  my  son  Mordecai  if  he 
Returns  into  this  Province  within  the  Term  of 
Seven  Years  Next  after  my  decease  all  that  Mes 
suage  or  Tenement  which  I  purchased  of  William 
Clayer  Situate  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  TO  HOLD 
to  him  my  said  son  Mordecai  his  Heirs  and  As 
signs  forever  but  if  it  should  so  happen  that  my 
son  Mordecai  shall  not  Return  before  the  expira 
tion  of  the  Term  aforsaid  then  my  will  is  and  I 
do  give  the  said  Messuage  or  Tenement  Unto  my 
son  Isaac  his  Heirs  and  Assigns  forever  Provided 
Nevertheless  that  my  son  Isaac  pay  or  cause  to 
be  paid  Unto  my  son  Mordecai  if  in  Case  he  Re- 
turnes  at  any  time  after  the  Seven  Years  aforsaid 
the  sum  of  ffive  Pounds  of  Lawfull  money  of 
Pensilvania  ITEM  I  give  devise  and  bequeath  Unto 
my  daughter  Rebecca  my  other  Messuage  or  Tene 
ment  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  /  loyning  to  the 
other  before  mentioned  /  which  I  Purchased  of 
Humphry  Clase  and  lohn  Clayor  TO  HOLD  to  her 
my  said  daughter  Rebecca  and  to  the  Lawfull  heirs 
of  her  body  for  ever  but  if  she  should  happen  to 
dye  before  the  Age  of  Twenty  one  Years  or  with 
out  Issue  then  my  will  is  and  I  give  the  said  Mes 
suage  or  Tenement  Unto  my  son  Isaac  his  Heirs 


56  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

and  Assigns  for  ever  ITEM  I  give  Unto  my  daugh 
ter  Sara  my  best  feather  bed  with  furniture  as  also 
the  one  half  part  of  the  Linnen  Usually  kept  in 
my  large  chest  ITEM  I  give  Unto  my  son  Abraham 
the  sum  of  Thirty  Six  Pounds  which  I  lent  him 
some  time  since  AND  further  my  will  is  that  all 
the  Residue  of  my  Estate  after  debts  and  Funeral 
Expenses  paid  as  aforsaid  and  Sufficient  for  the 
Maintenance  of  my  son  John  Untill  he  Arrives  to 
the  Age  of  Fourteen  Years  /  as  well  Real  as  Per 
sonal  whatsoever  and  wheresoever  I  give  Unto  my 
two  sons  /  to  witt  /  Abraham  and  Isaac  to  be  di 
vided  in  two  Equal  parts  or  portions  share  and 
share  alike  AND  I  Nominate  Constitute  and  Ap 
point  my  two  friends  /  to  witt  /  Robert  Taylor  of 
Marple  in  the  County  of  Chester  aforsaid  and 
loshua  Thompson  of  Ridley  in  the  County  afor 
said  Executors  of  this  my  last  will  and  Testament 
AND  I  Revoke  disanul  and  make  void  all  and 
every  other  will  and  wills  by  me  at  any  time  here 
tofore  made  and  do  Ratifie  &  Confirm  this  and  no 
other  to  be  my  Last  Will  and  Testament  IN  WIT 
NESS  whereof  I  have  hereunto  sett  my  hand  and 
seal  this  ffifteenth  day  of  April  in  the  Year  of  our 
Lord  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  ffbrty 
ffive. —  Abraham  Lincon 

Signed  Sealed  Published  and  delivered  by  Abra 
ham  Lincon  the  Testator  to  be  his  last  will  and 
Testament  in  the  Presence  of  Us. 

Emanuel  Lownes     aff 

John  morton    Jur          24  April  1745 

Jsa.  Pearson  affirm 


i  t 


/  .  /r  /• 
6  •  #  •  c 
0  •  Sf  •  f 


fit  /  «2  -  VW*-'   —     -      —  \ 

.    .-,^/^«/   s^^r/^     y ; 


*      ' 

' 


f    •'    f 


v/'-          jwr/ 


INVENTORY  OF  THE  ESTATE  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  OF  SPRINGFIELD. 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  57 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CHILDREN    OF   ABRAHAM    LINCOLN,    OF    SPRINGFIELD 
TOWNSHIP,    CHESTER    COUNTY,    PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  records  contain  important  traces  also  of  the 
children  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield,  Ches 
ter  County,  Pennsylvania.  As  we  have  seen  from 
the  will  of  Abraham,  he  left  the  following  children : 
Mordecai,  Abraham,  Isaac,  John  and  Sarah.  Mor- 
decai  is  mentioned  in  the  will  as  absent  from  home, 
John  and  Sarah  as  minors.  The  testator  seems  par 
ticularly  solicitous  about  his  young  son,  John,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  wording  of  the  special  provisions 
of  the  will  in  his  case.  One  can  read  between  the 
lines  the  father's  anxiety  as  to  the  boy's  reaching 
his  maturity.  In  case  he  grows  to  manhood,  the 
testator  directs  that  a  proper  house  be  constructed 
for  his  son  John.  The  specifications  as  to  the  size 
and  quality  of  this  house  are  very  precise.  It  must 
be  seventeen  feet  square,  two  stories  high,  and  have 
a  cedar  roof. 

The  first  document  so  far  found  referring  to 
Abraham  Lincoln,  the  son  of  Abraham  of  Spring 
field,  is  a  deed  dated  May  i,  1744,  in  which  John 
Fordham  and  his  wife  Hannah,  of  the  city  of  Phila 
delphia,  convey  a  piece  of  ground  on  the  north  side 
of  Jones'  alley,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  to  "Abra 
ham  Lincon  of  the  same  city  cordwainer."  That  this 
Abraham  was  not  the  Abraham  of  Springfield,  but 


58  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

the  son  of  the  latter,  is  clear  from  the  fact  that  he 
is  called  "cordwainer"  and  mentioned  as  living  in 
Philadelphia.  This  is  further  corroborated  by  a 
deed  of  "Abraham  Lincon  cordwainer"  to  "Isaac 
Lincon  Carpenter"  dated  May  i,  1745,  after  the 
death  of  Abraham  of  Springfield.  The  deed  of  1744 
runs  thus : 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  first  Day  of  May 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dren  and  forty  four.  Between  John  Fordham  late 
of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  but  now  of  the  Island 
of  Jamaica  Upholsterer,  and  Hannah  Fordham  of 
the  City  of  Philadelphia  aforesaid  Wife  of  the 
said  John  Fordham.  of  the  one  part  and  Abraham 
Lincoln  of  the  same  City  Cordwainer  of  the  other 
Part. 

Whereas  Abraham  Bickley  late  of  Burlington  in 
the  Western  Division  of  the  Province  of  New  Jer 
sey.  Merchant  deceased  Father  of  the  Said  Han 
nah  Ford —  by  his  Last  Will  and  Testament  in 
Writing  duly  executed  bearing  Date  the  thirteenth 
Day  of  October  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  Twenty  five  did  Give 
&  Bequeath  unto  his  Daughter  Hannah,  divers 
Lands  Tenements  &  Hereditaments  (of  which  the 
Piece  of  Ground  herein  after  particularly  men 
tioned  &  described  is  Part)  To  hold  to  the  said 
Hannah,  her  Heirs  &  Assigns  for  ever.  Under  the 
yearly  Quitrent  &  Reservations  accruing  to  the 
Proprietor  for  the  same  as  by  the  said  Will  since 
duly  proved  Reference  being  had  thereto  more 
fully  may  appear.  [Here  follows  Letter  of 
Attorney] 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  59 

And  whereas  the  said  Hannah  Fordham  hath 
by  Virtue  of  the  said  Letter  of  Attorney  from  the 
said  John  Fordham  her  Husband  as  well  as  in  her 
own  Right  contracted  and  agreed  with  the  said 
Abraham  Lincon  for  the  Sale  of  the  Fee  Simple 
and  Inheritance  of  the  said  Piece  of  Ground 
herein  after  particularly  described  Subject  to  the 
Rent  herein  after  mentioned  and  to  indemnify  the 
same  And  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  Heirs  Ex 
ecutors  and  Administrators  of  and  from  the  Pay 
ment  of  the  said  Mortgage  Money  and  Every 
Part  thereof. 

Now  this  Indenture  Witnesseth  that  now  in  Pur 
suance  of  such  Agreement  as  aforesaid  And  for 
and  in  Consideration  of  the  Payment  of  the  Rent 
and  Performance  of  the  Covenants  hereinafter 
reserved  and  contained  on  the  Part  and  Behalf  of 
the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his  Heirs  and  Assigns 
to  be  paid  done  and  performed  They  the  said 
John  Fordham  by  his  said  Attorney  the  said  Han 
nah  his  Wife  have  granted  bargained  sold  released 
and  confirmed  and  by  these  presents  do  grant  bar 
gain  sell  release  and  confirm  unto  the  said  Abra 
ham  Lincon  His  Heirs  and  Assigns  all  that  Piece 
of  Ground  situate  on  the  North  side  of  Jones's 
Alley  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  aforesaid  con 
taining  in  Front  on  the  said  alley  thirty  three  feet 
and  Seven  Inches  and  extending  back  or  North 
ward  Thirty  Foot  Bounded  Eastward  with  other 
Ground  of  the  said  John  Fordham  and  Hannah 
his  Wife  now  in  the  Possession  of  George  Hard 
ing  Southward  with  the  said  Alley.  Westward  with 
other  Ground  of  the  said  John  Fordham,  and 


60  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Hannah  his  Wife  and  Northward  with  the  Ground 
formerly  belonging  to  James  Porbuee  *  *  * 
Yielding  and  Paying  heretofore  unto  the  said  John 
Fordham  and  Hannah  his  Wife  and  to  his  Heirs 
and  Assigns  of  the  said  Hannah  the  yearly  Rent 
or  Sum  of  Seven  Pounds  Ten  shillings  and  nine 
Pence  lawful  money  of  the  Province  of  Pennsyl 
vania  aforesaid  on  the  first  day  of  May  in  each 
year  for  ever  ********** 
And  also  that  the  said  Abraham  Lincon  his 
Heirs  or  Assigns  shall  &  will  within  the  space  of 
Two  Years  next  ensuing  the  Date,  hereof,  at 
his  and  their  own  proper  Costs  and  Charges 
cause  to  be  erected  built  and  finished  in  or  upon 
the  said  hereby  granted  Piece  of  Ground  and 
Premises  one  good  Tenantable  Dwelling  House  of 
Brick  or  Stone  two  Stories  High  above  ground 
with  a  cellar  under  the  same.  *  *  *  [Re 
corded  April  10,  1767.] 

Another  important  document  bearing  upon  the 
sons  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  Springfield,  is  a  deed 
of  mortgage  dated  September  14,  1747,  in  which 
"Jacob  Lincon,  of  Kingsess  [ing],  in  the  County  of 
Philadelphia  Sithemaker  and  Anne  his  Wife  and 
Abraham  Lincon  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  cord- 
wainer"  mortgage  Jacob  Lincoln's  plantation  in 
Springfield  township  to  Jacob  Duche  for  the  sum  of 
200  pounds.  The  text  of  the  document  follows : 

"Be  it  Remembered  that  the  fourteenth  Day  of 
September  Anno  Dom  1747  the  Mortgage  here 
after  mentioned  was  produced  Before  Thomas 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  6l 

Greene  Esqr  one.  of  the  Provincial  Judges  and 
thereupon  Came  Jacob  Lincon  and  Anne  his  Wife 
and  Abraham  Lincon  who  acknowledged  the  sd 
Writing  to  be  their  Deed  and  Desired  ye  same 
might  be  recorded  the  sd  Anne  thereunto  Volun 
tarily  Consenting  she  being  of  full  age  Secretly 
and  apart  Examined  and  the  contents  of  ye  sd 
Writing  read  unto  her  wch  said  Mortgage  is  re 
corded  in  ye  Office  for  recording  of  Deed  in  ye  sd 
County  the  Thirtieth  Day  of  October  Anno  Dom 
1747  in  these  Words  (viz) 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  fourteenth  Day  of 
September  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  forty  seven  Between  Jacob 
Lincon  of  Kingsess  in  the  County  of  Philadel 
phia  Sithemaker  and  Anne  his  Wife  and  Abraham 
Lincon  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  Cordwainer 
of  the  one  part  and  Jacob  Duche  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia  Merch*  of  the  other  part  WHEREAS 
the  sd  Jacob  Lincon  in  and  by  a  Certain  Obligation 
or  Writing  Obligatory  under  his  hand  and  seal 
bearing  Even  Date  herewith  standeth  Bound  unto 
the  sd  Jacob  Duch'e  in  the  sum  of  Two  hundred 
Pounds  Law  full  money  of  Pennsylvania  condi 
tioned  for  the  Payment  of  one  hundred  pounds 
Lawful  money  aforesaid  Together  with  Law  full 
Interest  for  ye  same  in  manner  following,  to  say 
*  *  * 

Ye  said  Jacob  Lincon  and  Anne  his  Wife  and 
Abraham  Lincon  *  *  *  Have  Granted  Bar 
gained  sold  released  and  Confirmed  and  by  these 
Psents  [sic]  do  Grant  Bargain  Sell  release  and 
Confirm  unto  ye  sd  Jacob  Duch'e  and  to  his  heirs 


62  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

and  assigns  All  that  his  ye  sd  Jacob  Lincon's  Mes 
suage  Plantation  and  Tract  of  Land  thereunto  Be 
longing  Situate  in  Springfield  Township  in  ye 
County  of  Chester  Lying  on  the  South  West  side 
of  ye  road  Leading  from  Springfield  Meeting 
House  to  the  Burrough  of  Chester  &  Lying  be 
tween  the  sd  road  &  Crum  Creek  and  extending 
from  the  said  Creek  by  Bartholomew  Coppocks 
Land  North  fifty  five  Degrees  Easterly  to  the 
aforesd  road  and  from  ye  said  Road  to  the 
sd  Creek  south  fifty  five  degrees  West  by  George 
Lownes  Land  Containing  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  or  there  about  be  the  same  more  or  less 
(which  Abraham  Lincon  ye  farther  of  ye  sd 
Abraham  and  Jacob  Parties  hereto  by  his  Last 
Will  and  Testament  of  the  I5th  Day  of  April 
1745  Devised  unto  this  sd  son  lacob  in  ffee  *  *  *" 
[Recorded  in  the  Court  House,  West  Chester 
Pa.] 

An  indenture,  dated  February  14,  1754,  informs 
us  concerning  a  third  son  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  of 
Springfield,  namely,  Isaac  Lincoln,  who  with  his 
wife,  Mary,  conveyed  to  George  Westcott  of  the 
same  city,  brazier,  a  certain  piece  of  ground  willed 
by  Abraham  Lincoln  of  Springfield  to  his  son  Isaac, 
and  situated  on  the  south  side  of  Elbow  lane.  This 
same  document  gives  important  information  as  to 
Mordecai  Lincoln,  the  absent  son  of  Abraham  of 
Springfield.  It  appears  here  that  Mordecai  did  not 
return  within  the  seven  years  allowed  by  the  will,  nor 
at  any  time  afterwards  up  to  the  date  of  this  deed, 
a  period  of  nearly  ten  years.  Thus  the  property 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  63 

willed  to  Mordecai  was  divided  between  Abraham 
and  Isaac  Lincoln,  as  directed  by  their  father's  will. 
The  text  of  the  indenture  follows  below : 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  Fourteenth  day  of 
February  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  Hundred  and  fifty  four  Between  Isaac  Lin- 
con  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  Carpenter  and 
Mary  his  wife  of  the  one  part  and  George  Wescott 
of  the  said  City  Brazier  of  the  other  part  Whereas 
in  and  by  a  certain  Indenture  bearing  date  the 
twenty  ninth  day  of  March  in  the  Year  1744  be 
tween  William  Clare  of  the  said  City  of  Philadel 
phia  Cordwainer  of  the  one  part  and  Abraham  Lin- 
con  of  Springfield  in  the  County  of  Chester  Yeo 
man  who  was  the  father  of  the  said  Isaac  Lincon 
of  the  other  part  reciting  as  therein  is  recited  he  / 
the  said  William  Clare  for  the  consideration  therein 
mentioned  did  grant  release  and  confirm  unto 
the  said  Abraham  Lincon  A  Certain  messuage  or 
tenement  and  lot  or  piece  of  ground  situate  in 
the  City  on  the  South  side  of  Elbow  Lane  &c.  *  * 
*  *  and  the  said  Abraham  being  so  thereof 
seized  and  did  make  his  last  will  and  testament  in 
writing  bearing  date  the  fifteenth  day  of  April  1745 
and  therein  divided  All  that  messuage  or  tenement 
which  he  purchased  of  William  Clare  situate  in  the 
said  City  unto  the  said  testators  son  Mordecai  if  he 
returned  into  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  within 
the  term  of  seven  years  to  hold  to  him  the  said 
Mordecai  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  But  if  it 
should  happen  that  his  son  Mordecai  shall  not  re 
turn  before  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  seven 


64  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

years  aforesaid  then  the  testators  will  is  and  he 
doth  give  the  said  Messuage  &  testament  unto 
his  said  son  Isaac  his  heirs  and  assigns  for 
ever  Provided  nevertheless  that  his  son  Isaac 
pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  unto  the  said  Mor- 
decai  if  in  case  he  returns  at  any  time  after 
the  seven  years  aforesaid  the  sum  of  five  pounds 
lawful  money  of  Pennsylvania  as  [at?]  in  and 
by  the  said  last  recited  Indenture  and  last  will 
relation  being  thereunto  had  respectively  ap 
pears  and  shortly  after  the  making  of  the  tes 
tament  aforesaid  he  the  said  testator  died  And 
the  said  Mordecai  did  not  return  into  the  said 
Province  within  the  term  aforesaid  limited  nor  at 
any  time  since  So  that  the  estate  in  the  premises 
is  vested  in  the  said  Isaac  Lincon  as  divided  by 
the  Instrument  aforesaM  Subject  nevertheless  to 
the  payment  of  the  said  five  pounds  unto  the  said 
Mordecai  if  in  case  he  shall  hereafter  arrive  in 
the  said  Province  Now  this  indenture  witnes- 
seth  that  the  said  Isaac  Lincon  and  Mary  his  wife 
for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  sixty  five 
pounds  lawful  money  of  Pennsylvania  unto  them 
well  and  truly  paid  by  the  said  George  Wescott 
*  *  *  do  bargain  sell  *  *  *  A  certain 
piece  of  ground  being  the  westermost  part  of  the 
aforesaid  thirty  seven  foot  *  *  *  bounded 
northward  with  Elbow  Lane  &c  *  *  * 

Isaac  Lincon 
Mary  Lincon 

[Receipt  also  signed  by  same 

Acknowledged  Feb  14,  1754 

Recorded  Apr.  29,  1835] 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  65 

John  Lincoln,  the  young  son  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
of  Springfield,  died  without  issue  and  his  land  passed 
to  Abraham,  his  brother,  and  was  divided  by  him, 
Abraham,  between  his  daughters,  Rebecca  and  Hes 
ter.  Rebecca  married  James  Carter,  a  merchant  of 
Philadelphia,  and  Hester  died  young. 

Isaac  Lincoln,  the  son  of  Abraham  of  Springfield, 
married  Mary  Schute  December  the  3Oth,  1746. 
Jacob  Lincoln,  son  of  Abraham  of  Springfield,  mar 
ried  Ann  Rambo,  June,  1747.  Jacob  died  June  5, 
1769,  aged  44  years,  and  was  buried  at  Kingsessing 
Swedes  Church. 

In  Old  Swedes  Church,  Philadelphia  (O.  S.  C. 
P.),  First  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia  (F.  B.  C. 
P.),  St.  Michael's  and  Zion  Churches,  and  in  Christ 
Church,  Philadelphia  (C.  C.  P.),  we  find  the  follow 
ing  records  of  Lincoln  marriages,  which  we  arrange 
here  in  chronological  order,  with  the  reference  to 
the  church  in  parenthesis : 

Lincoln,  Daniel,  and  Mary  Medley,  June  2,  1742 
Lincon,   Isaac,  and  Mary  Shute,  Dec.  31,    1746 

(C.  C.  P.). 

Jacob  Lincoln  and  Ann  Rambo,  June  1747.  Jacob 
died  June  5  1769  aged  44  years,  buried 
at  Old  Swedes,  Kingsessing.  Anne  died 
Feb.  8,  1819,  aged  94  years,  buried  at 
same  place. 

Children:  Moses,  Catarina  (b.  June  16.  1751), 
John  (b.  Feb.  I,  1756,  m.  Elizabeth  Neal 
or  O'Neal  Oct  8,  1781),  Rebecca  (b. 
Dec.  n,  1757),  Mary  (b.  Aug.  17, 
1763),  Jacob  (b.  Apr.  1766). 


66  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Lincon,  Rebecca,  and  Joseph  Rush,  Sept.  19,  1750 

(C.  C  P.). 
Lincoln,  Rebecca,  and  James  Carter,  Mar.  7,  1763 

(F.  B.  C.  P.). 
Lincoln,  Margaret,  and  James  Gregory,  July  17, 

1769  (C.C.  P.). 
Lincon,  Sarah,  and  Samuel  Pastorius,  Nov.  28, 

1771 
John  Linkhorn  and  Elizabeth  O'Neal  Oct.  8,  1781 

(O.  S.  C.  P.). 
Barbara  Kinch 
Lincorn,  Elizabeth,  and  John  Hart,  July  7,  1791 

(O.  S.  C.  P.). 
Lincoln,  Jacob,  and  Mary  Taylor,  April  n,  1792 

(O.  S.  C.  P.). 
Lincoin,   Moses,   and    Barbara   Kinch,   Mar.    19, 

1795  (O.  S.  C.  P.). 
Lincoln,    Benjamin,    and   Ann    Cowan,    May    19, 

1806  (C.  C.  P.). 

The  Parish  Register  of  Christ  Church,  Philadel 
phia,  contains  the  following : 

"Christenings  1735  Aug  3.    Mordecai  Son  of  At>- 
raham    and    Rebecca    Lincoln    age    15 
years" 
"1748  April   13  Lincoln,  negro  slave  of  Robert 

Grove  adult" 

"1749  Feb.  n  John  son  of  John  &  Catharine  Lin 
coln  born  Decbr  17.  1749" 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  67 


CHAPTER  V. 

CHILDREN    OF    MORDECAI    LINCOLN    OF    EXETER. 

Having  followed  the  traces  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
of  Springfield  and  his  children  in  the  counties  of 
Chester  and  Philadelphia,  we  return  to  Mordecai 
Lincoln  of  Exeter  and  trace  his  family  in  Berks 
County,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  Virginia  and  Ken 
tucky,  down  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  President  of 
the  United  States. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Mordecai  Lincoln  of 
Exeter,  Pennsylvania,  son  of  Mordecai  of  Hull, 
Massachusetts,  provided  in  his  will  for  three  sons, 
Mordecai,  John  and  Thomas,  and  conditionally 
for  a  posthumous  child.  This  posthumous  child,  as 
the  documents  will  show,  was  born  Oct.  18  (O.  S.), 
or  Oct.  29  (N.  S.),  1736,  after  his  father's  death, 
named  Abraham  and  received  his  share  of  his 
father's  estate  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of 
the  will.  Mordecai  of  Exeter  made  his  surviving 
wife,  Mary,  his  executrix  and  appointed  his  friends, 
Jonathan  Robeson  and  George  Boone,  to  assist  her 
in  settling  the  estate. 

MORDECAI   LINCOLN,   SON   OF    MORDECAI   OF   EXETER. 

The  earliest  references  to  Mordecai  Lincoln,  son 
of  Mordecai  of  Exeter,  show  him  to  be  unmarried. 


68 


ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 


In  the  tax  lists  of  Berks  County  his  name  appears 

as  follows: 

£     £     s    d    Township 
Single        1754    Mordecai  Lincoln  9          Exeter 

1757  Marthicai  Lingcoln 

and  half  tenement  20  Exeter 

1758  Mordecai  Lincoln 

Tent  H  20  Exeter 

Special  Assessment 

for  the  same  year  10 
Married     1759    Lincoln,  Mordecai      10          15          Exeter 

1759  Mordecai  Lincoln 

(County  Tax)  12 

1760  Lincoln,  Mordecai  15  Exeter 

1761  Lincoln,  Mordecai  15  39    Exeter 
1763    Lincoln,  Mordecai  22  5          Exeter 

1765  Lincoln,  Mordecai      21     I     u    6    Exeter 

1766  Lincoln,  Mordecai      18  46    Exeter 

The  name  of  Mordecai  Lincoln  (or  "Lincorn") 
appears  frequently  in  the  old  manuscript  account 
book  kept  by  Abraham  Lincoln,  his  brother,  from 
1755  to  1778.  On  the  first  page  of  this  book  is 
written : 

Abram  Lincoln  |  Beginning  to  Doy  et  at|  Mor 
decai  Lincorns  ye  2 Ith  of  ye  third  month |  In  the 
year  1757. 

The  following  entries  appear  at  different  times 
during  this  year  1757  and  later: 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  69 

Mordecai  Lincoln  Dr|  to  four  Days  mak 
ing  Shingels 
Mordecai  Lincoln]  to  two  days  and  a  ^> 

Reaping  £o  55  6d 

Mordecai  Licln  to  one  days  work  020 

Mordecai  Lincoln  for  one  days  work        020 
Mordecai  Lincoln  to  one  days  work  020 

and  cash  [  ?] 

Mordecai  Lincoln  to  one  J^  days  work    o  I     o 
Mordecai  Lincoln  to  2A  of  a  days  work       o  i     6 
Mordecai  Lin  [coin]  to  work 
Mordecai  Lincoln  to  3  days  and  a  half 

work  070 

Mordecai  Lincoln  to  One  days  sawing  Jn 

exchange  of  Work 

Mordecai  Lincoln  to  Cash  020 

1759,  May  Mordecai  Lincoln  to  a  Half  a 

bushel  of  flax  sade  026 

June  Mordecai  Lincoln  to  three  Bushel 

of  Buck  Wheat  6 

1770  April  ye  ioth  Cr 

Mordecai  Lincoln 

Cr  by  work  at  the  Rase 

apil  [sic]   ioth  by  2^2  days  work 

April  ye  14th  no  [=anno]  1770  Cr  by  work 
on  the  Rods 

Mordecai  Lincoln  i  hand 

Mordecai  Lincoln  Mikel  Syser  &  Jacob 
Battle  is  to  Maintane  two  Thirds  of  ye 
Rase  from  ye  first  of  march  to  the  Six 
teenth  of  October  yere  af  ter  yer 

1778  October  Cr  by  work  dune  at  the  Ras 

24th  Mordecai  Lincoln  i  hand 


7O  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

1779 

April  3 

Mordeca  [sic]  two  hand  one  d  day  &  Self  prt" 

The  land  records  of  Berks  County  contain  refer 
ence  to  a  number  of  transactions  of  Mordecai  Lin 
coln,  as  the  following  list  will  show : 

Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Oct.  16,  1766,  Grantee  William 

Tallman,  Asst,  book  6,  page  330. 

Grantee  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Apr.  n,  1769,  Grantors  Abra 
ham  et  al.,  Exeter,  book  14,  page  543. 
Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Apr.  u,  1769,  Grantee  Jacob 

Bechtel,  Exeter,  book  14,  page  545. 
Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Apr.  n,  1769,  Grantee  Michael 

Seyster  (=  Zeister),  Release,  book  15,  page  5. 
Grantee  Mordecai  Lincoln,  May  9,  1769,  Grantors  Thomas 

and  Abraham  Lincoln,  Exeter,  book  n,  page  307. 
Grantors  Mordecai  &  Abraham  Lincoln,  May  16,   1770, 

Grantee  Michael  Zeister,  Exeter,  book  6,  page  504. 
Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Mar.  29,  1773,  Grantee  Mary 

Rogers,  Sch.  River,  book  iB,  page  535. 
Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  May  22,  1784,  Grantee  Jno. 

Spohn,  Exeter,  book  9  ,page  54. 
Grantor  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Oct.  30,  1784,  Grantee  Henry 

Huyett,  Ex.  Com.  Bk.  P.,  book  i,  page  163. 
Grantors  Mordecai  Lincoln  et  al.,  July  4,  1789,  Grantee 

Rebecca  Nagle,  Exeter,  book  12,  page  4. 

There  is  a  reference  to  Mordecai  Lincoln  in  the 
deed  books  of  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  show 
ing  that  he  and  his  wife,  Mary,  conveyed  to  Mary 
Rogers,  of  Reading,  a  certain  property  originally 
belonging  to  the  estate  of  his  father  Mordecai  Lin 
coln  of  Exeter.  The  deed  which  is  dated  March 
29,  1773,  begins  and  ends  as  follows: 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  29th  day  of  March 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hun 
dred  and  seventy  three  BETWEEN  Mordecai  Lin- 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  71 

coin  of  Exeter  Township  in  Berks  County  and 
Province  of  Pennsylvania  Yeoman  and  Mary  his 
Wife  of  the  one  part  and  Mary  Rogers  of  the 
Town  of  Reading  in  ye  County  and  province 
aforesaid  Widow  of  the  other  part  [Here  fol 
lows  the  recital  of  the  title,  the  essential  part  of 
which  runs :  "And  the  said  Thomas  Millard  and 
Barbara  his  Wife  by  Jndentures  of  Lease  &  re 
lease  bearing  date  the  9th  &  ioth  days  of  May 
Anno  domini  1730  did  grant  and  Confirm  the 
same  One  Thousand  acres  of  land  and  premises 
unto  the  said  Mordecai  Lincoln  the  Elder  in  fee 
[then  follows  the  recital  of  the  will  of  Mordecai 
Lincoln  of  Exeter,  "the  elder"  and  the  conditions 
of  sale  by  Mordecai  Lincoln  (Junior)  and  his 
wife  Mary  to  Mary  Rogers] 

her 

Mary  M  Lincoln  (Seal) 

mark 
MORDECAI  LINCOLN       (Seal)* 

In  the  Account  Books  of  John  Harris  we  find  this 
interesting  entry : 

1785  Linkhorn  in  Town  Dr.  £  s  d 

June  Ist  To  Sundries  brought  from 

Folio  169  687 

To  27   Bundles   Rye   Straw   Lent 
May  21  1790  Reed  the  opposite  acco1  in  full  £6.8.7. 

This  was  evidently  Mordecai  Lincoln,  son  of 
Mordecai  of  Exeter,  who  appears  in  a  deed  dated 
July  4,  1789,  as  a  resident  of  Dauphin  County,  Pa. 
Mordecai  settled  later  in  Fayette  County,  Pa. 

*  Cf.  Deed  Book  I.  B.,  535  et  seq.,  Reading,  Pa. 


72  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

THOMAS    LINCOLN,    SON    OF    MORDECAI    OF    EXETER. 

The  second  son  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  the  elder, 
of  Exeter,  was  Thomas  Lincoln,  who  took  a  promi 
nent  part  in  the  affairs  of  Berks  County,  Pennsyl 
vania.  His  name  appears  in  the  early  tax  lists 
with  the  following  assessments : 

Berks  Co.  Tax  List        i        £     s.     d.  Township 

1757  Thomas  Lingorn    6  Amity 

1758  Thomas  Lincoln  16  4  Exeter 

1758  Thomas  Lincoln  15 

his  Tennant     5 

20        i    10  Exeter 

1759  Lincoln  Thomas      7  10     6       Reading 

1759  Lincoln  Thomas  15        126         Exeter 

1760  Tho'  Lincoln  9  Reading 
1760  Lincoln  Thomas      6        9  Reading 

In  1758  he  was  made  sheriff  of  Berks  County,  a 
fact  which  strangely  enough  escaped  the  officials  of 
the  same  county  some  years  ago,  when  they  had  the 
calendar  of  sheriffs  printed,  but  omitted  the  name 
of  Thomas  Lincoln.  The  present  writer  had  the 
peculiar  pleasure  of  rediscovering  Sheriff  Thomas 
Lincoln  and  identifying  his  signature  in  old  lists  of 
jurors  returned  by  him  while  sheriff.  The  original 
bond  given  by  Thomas  Lincoln,  as  newly  elected 
Sheriff  to  the  King,  is  duly  recorded*  and  may  be 
reprinted  here  as  a  document  of  interest : 

KNOW  ALL  MEN  by  these   Presents  that  We 
Thomas    Lincoln    of    Exeter    Township    in    the 


*In  Commission  Book  A  No.  2,  p.  268-9.     (Department 
of  Internal  Affairs,  Harrisburg,  Pa.) 


t 


BILL  OF  COSTS  OF  EXECUTING  ELISABETH  GROWL. 
(Original  in  the  Possession  of  Louis  Richards,  of  Reading,  Pa.) 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  73 

County  of  Berks  Esqr  Jsaac  Levan  of  Ex 
eter  aforesaid  Gent,  and  William  Boone  of  the 
same  place  Gent,  are  held  and  firmly  bound  unto 
our  Sovereign  Lord  George  the  second  by  the 
Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain  France  and  Ire 
land  King  Defender  of  the  Faith  &ca  in  the  Sum 
of  three  hundred  Pounds  Current  Money  of  Penn 
sylvania  to  be  paid  to  our  said  Sovereign  Lord  the 
King  his  Heirs  or  Successors  to  which  Payment 
well  and  truly  to  be  maide  We  do  find  our  Selves 
each  and  every  or  any  of  Us  for  and  in  the  Whole 
our  each  and  every  or  any  of  our  Heirs  Execu 
tors  and  Administrators  respectively  Jointly  and 
Severally  firmly  by  these  Presents  Sealed  WITH 
our  Seals  Dated  the  fifth  Day  of  October  in  the 
thirty  second  year  of  the  Reign  of  our  said  Lord 
the  King  &  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
and  seven  hundred  and  fifty-eight. 

THE  CONDITION  of  this  obligation  is  such  That 
WHEREAS  the  above  bounden  Thomas  Lincoln  on 
the  second  Day  of  October  Jnstant  was  Elected 
Sheriff  for  the  said  County  of  Berks  for  the  en 
suing  Year  by  the  Freemen  of  the  said  County 
according  to  an  Act  of  Assembly  of  this  Province 
passed  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  Reign  of  Queen 
Ann  entitled  an  Act  for  Regulating  Elections  of 
Sheriffs  &  Coroners  As  by  a  certain  Jndenture 
bearing  Date  the  second  Day  of  October  Jnstant 
made  or  mentioned  to  be  made  BETWEEN  Thomas 
Lincoln  Coroner  of  the  said  County  of  the  one 
Part  &  Joseph  Boone  Sebastian  Levan  Mounce 
Jones  Benjamin  Talbert  Ganis  Dickinson  & 
Henry  Snyder  Freeholders  of  the  said  County 


74  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

of  the  other  Part  Gentlemen  Freeholders  of  the 
Said  County  of  the  other  Part  Relation  bearing 
thereunto  had  appears  NOW  if  the  said  Thomas 
Lincoln  by  himself  or  his  Lawful  Deputy  shall 
and  do  well  and  truly  perform  his  Duty  &  Trust 
in  the  said  office  of  Sheriff  when  thereunto  law 
fully  and  thoroughly  Qualified  according  to  the 
Tenor  of  the  Affirmation  which  he  shall  make 
for  the  due  Execution  of  his  said  Office  Or  else 
to  be  and  remain  in  full  Force  and  Virtue  to  the 
Uses  Jntents  and  Purposes  in  the  said  Act — men 
tioned  and  appointed  And  to  no  other  Use  Jntent 
or  Purpose  whatsoever  Thomas  Lincoln  (Seal) 
Jsaac  Levan  (Seal)  Willm  Boone  (Seal)  Sealed 
and  Delivered  in  the  Presence  of  Us  C.  Brockden, 
Rob1  Harper.  Acknowledged  at  Philadelphia  the 
fifth  day  of  October  A°.  D*.  1758  Before  me  Wm 
Coleman,  Recorded  6th  Day  of  October,  1758. 

The  records  of  the  Prothonotary's  office  in  Read 
ing  contain  many  papers  executed  by  Thomas  Lin 
coln  during  his  term  as  sheriff.  The  accompanying 
list  of  jurors*  and  the  very  interesting  case  of  the 
hanging  of  a  woman,  will  serve  as  specimens,  both 
of  his  work  and  of  his  signature. 

The  following  transactions  of  Thomas  Lincoln 
appear  in  the  land  records  of  Berks  County, 
Pennsylvania : 

*  The  "List  of  Jurors"  was  found  by  the  co-operation  of 
the  Prothonotary  and  his  aides.  The  original  of  the  execu 
tion  account  is  in  the  possession  of  Louis  Richards,  Esq.,  of 
Reading,  President  of  the  Bucks  County  Historical  Society, 
who  kindly  permitted  the  writer  to  have  it  photographed. 


I  *  • '  /     .  7  / 


,t  /^  / 


LIST  OF  PETIT  JURY  RETURNED  BY  THOMAS 
LINCOLN,  SHERIFF  OF  READING,  PA. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  75 

Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Dec.  29,  1757,  Grantee  William 

Tallman,  Schuylkill,  book  6,  page  327. 
Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Feb.  15,  1759,  Grantee  Richard 

Wistar,  Hereford,  book  5,  page  373. 
Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Nov.  4,  1760,  Grantee  Michael 

Zeister,  Exeter,  book  2,  page  178. 
Grantee  Thomas   Lincoln,   Sept.  9,   1761,   Grantor   Hans 

Adam  Epler,  Reading,  book  9,  page  435. 
Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Nov.  14,  1761,  Grantee  Adam 

Scheier,  Reading,  book  36,  page  265. 
Grantee  Thomas  Lincoln,  May  14,  1762,  Grantor  David 

Henderson,  Reading,  book  4,  page  265. 
Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Nov.  28,   1763,  Grantee  Jacob 

Rowbold,  Reading,  book  9,  page  437. 
Grantor  Thomas  Lincoln,  Mar.  14,  1764,  Grantee  Conrad 

Bower,  Reading,  book  4,  page  267. 
Grantee   Thomas   Lincoln,   May  4,    1774,   Grantor   Mary 

Rogers,  Discharge,  book  iB,  page  536. 

The  following  document  gives  us  a  specimen 
of  the  business  transactions  of  Thomas  Lincoln, 
Sheriff: 

To  ALL  PEOPLE  to  whom  these  Presents  shall 
come  I  Thomas  Lincoln  late  Sheriff  of  the  County 
of  Berks  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  send 
Greeting  WHEREAS  by  a  writ  of  Fieri  Facias  to 
me  directed  bearing  Teste  the  Fifteenth  Day  of 
February  in  the  Thirty  second  Year  of  the  King's 
Reign  (1759).  issuing  out  of  the  Court  of  Com 
mon  Pleas  of  the  County  aforesaid  I  was  Com 
manded  That  of  the  Goods  and  Chattels  Lands 
and  Tenements  which  were  of  Rudolph  Berkey 
late  of  the  said  County  Yeoman  deceased  other 
wise  lately  called  Rudolph  Pierge  of  Maxataneya 
twship  Philadelpa  County  Yeoman  at  the  Time  of 


76  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

his  Death  in  the  hands  of  Richard  Wistar  late 
of  my  County  Merchant  Acting  Executor  of  the 
last  Will  and  Testament  of  the  said  Rudolph 
Berkey  in  my  Bailiwick  I  should  Cause  to  be 
levied  as  well  a  Certain  Debt  of  One  Thousand 
Pounds  lawful  Money  of  Pennsylvania  *  *  *  * 
Now  Know  ye  that  I  the  said  Thomas  Lincoln 
late  Sheriff  of  the  County  of  Berks  aforesaid  for 
and  in  consideration  of  the  aforesaid  Sum  of  One 
thousand  and  Ten  pounds  unto  me  well  and  truly 
paid  by  the  said  Richard  Wistar  at  and  before 
the  en  sealing  and  delivery  hereof  the  Receipt 
whereof  I  do  hereby  Acknowledge  and  thereof  do 
Acquit  and  for  ever  discharge  the  said  Richard 
Wistar  his  Heirs  Executors  and  Administrators 
by  these  presents  have  granted  bargained  Sold 
Aliened  released  and  Confirmed  And  by  force  and 
Virtue  of  the  last  recited  Writ  and  of  the  Laws 
of  this  province  in  such  Case  made  and  provided 
DO  grant  bargain  sell  alien  release  and  Confirm 
unto  the  said  Richard  Wistar  and  to  his  Heirs  and 

Assigns  All  those  the  above  described  Messuage  * 

*************** 

In  the  deed  of  Thomas  Lincoln  to  Michael  Zeister 
we  have  important  information  of  Thomas  Lincoln's 
land: 

This  Jndenture  made  the  fourth  Day  of  No 
vember  in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  sixty  Between  Thomas  Lin- 


*  Deed  Book  5,  p.  373  et  seq.,  Recorder's  Office,  Read 
ing,  Pa. 


AN  AMERICAN    MIGRATION  77 

coin  of  the  Town  of  Reading  in  the  County  of 
Berks  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  Esquire 
and  Elizabeth  his  Wife  of  the  one  part  And 
Michael  Zeister  of  the  same  Place  Sadler  of  the 
other  part  Witnesseth  that  the  said  Thomas  Lin 
coln  and  Elizabeth  his  Wife  for  and  in  Consid 
eration  of  the  Sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  law 
ful  Money  of  Pennsylvania  to  them  in  hand  paid 
by  the  said  Michael  Zeister  the  receipt  whereof 
is  hereby  acknowledged  have  given  granted  ali 
ened  released  enfeoffed  and  confirmed  and  by 
these  presents  do  give  grant  bargain  and  sell 
alien  release  enfeoff  and  confirm  unto  the  said 
Michael  Zeister  and  his  heirs  a  certain  Tract  and 
parcel  of  Land  situated  in  Exeter  Township  in 
Berks  County  aforesaid  Bounded  by  the  follow 
ing  lines  to  wit  *  *  *  *  thence  by  Land  of  Ab 
raham  Lincoln  and  other  Land  of  the  said  Wil 
liam  Tallman  *  *  *  *  Containing  by  Computa 
tion  three  hundred  and  three  acres  be  the  same 
more  or  less  [Being  part  of  a  Tract  of  one  thou 
sand  Acres  of  Land  which  Tobias  Collet  Daniel 
Quair  and  Henry  Goldey  by  Deed  Dated  the  twen 
ty  eth  day  of  February  Anno  Domini  1718  granted 
to  a  certain  Andrew  Robeson  in  ffee  And  which 
the  said  Andrew  Robeson  by  his  Last  Will 
devised  to  his  son  Jonathan  Robeson  in  ffee 
*  *  *  and  which  the  said  Jonathan  Robeson 
by  Deed  Dated  the  twenty  seventh  day  of  Octo 
ber  Anno  Domini  1729  granted  to  a  certain 
Thomas  Willard  in  ffee  And  which  the  said 
Thomas  Millard  by  Deed  DATED  DATED  the  tenth 


78  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

day  of  May  Anno  Domini  1730  granted  to  Mor- 
decai  Lincoln  (the  Father  of  the  said  Thomas 
Lincoln)  in  ffee  One  third  part  of  which  One- 
Thousand-Acre-Tract  the  said  Mordecai  Lincoln 
by  his  Last  Will  and  Testament  dated  the  twenty 

second    day    of    February    Anno    Domini     1735 

*************** 

Tho.  Lincoln  (Seal) 

Elizabeth   Lincoln     (Seal)* 

The  following  refer  to  sales  of  property  made  to 
or  by  Thomas  Lincoln  in  Reading : 

This  Jndenture  Made  the  fourteenth  Day  of 
November  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
Seven  Hundred  &  sixty  one  Between  Thomas  Lin 
coln  of  the  town  of  Reading  in  the  County  of 
Berks  and  province  of  Pennsylvania  Gentleman 
and  Elizabeth  his  wife  of  the  one  part  and  Adam 
Scheir  of  the  said  town  of  Reading  Carpenter  of 
the  other  part  Whereas  the  Horible  Thomas  Penn 
&  Richard  Penn  Esquires  Proprietories  in  *  *  *  * 
1752  did  Give  Grant  Release  and  confirm  unto  a 
Certain  Francis  Morgan  *  *  *  *  Lot  of  Ground 
situate  in  the  Town  of  Reading  aforesaid  and 
Marked  in  the  General  Plan  of  the  said  Town 
N°  404  *  *  *  * 

And  Whereas  the  said  Francis  Morgan  and 
Jane  his  wife  by  Deed  indented  under  their  Hands 
and  Seals  bearing  date  the  thirteenth  day  of  No 
vember  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 


*  Deed  Book  2,  175  ff.,  in  Recorder's  office,  Reading,  Pa. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  79 

seven  hundred  and  sixty  one  for  the  Considera 
tion  therein  Mentioned  did  Grant  and  Confirm 
unto  a  Certain  Thomas  Lincoln  and  to  his  Heirs 
and  Assigns  All  that  the  above  Mentioned  and 
Described  Lot  of  Ground  N°  404  With  the  Ap 
purtenances  &c* 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  Fourteenth  Day  of 
March  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  Thousand 
Seven  Hundred  and  Sixty  four  BETWEEN  Thomas 
Lincoln  of  Reading  in  Berks  County  and  Prov 
ince  of  Pennsylvania  Mason  and  Elizabeth  his 
Wife  of  the  one  part  And  Conrad  Bower  of  the 
same  Place  Inn  Keeper  of  the  other  part  &c.** 

[Consideration  130  pounds,  7^  acres.] 

Thomas  Lincoln  appears  also,  even  more  fre 
quently  than  Mordecai  his  elder  brother,  in  the  old 
Account  Book  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  their  youngest 

brother,  as  the  following  entries  will  show : 

£    s     d 
1756  Thomas  Lincoln  to  3  days  work  at 

2  s  Pr  day  060 

Thomas  Lincoln   Cr  by  one  Quir 

and  a  ^  of  Paper  o       i     o 

Thos  Lincoln  to  one  day  and  a  half  030 
Thos  Lincoln  fife  days  and  a  halfs 

work  Dt  o     II     o 

Thos  Lincoln  to  one  weeks  Work  o     12     o 
Thos  Lincoln  to  one  day  and   ^2 

halfs  work  030 


*  Deed  Book  3  B,  pp.  265  et  seq. 
**  Deed  Book  4,  pp.  267  et  seq. 


8O  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Thos  Lincoln  to  one  days  work      020 
Thos  Lincoln  Dt  for  work  o       i     o 

Thos  Lincoln  to  Cash  Lent  o       ?     ? 

Thos  Lincoln     dt     upon     Ballans 

March  ye  first  007 

Thos  Lincoln  to  sawing  6  foot        013 
1758  Thos  Lincoln  to  sawing  5  days  at 

s     d 

at  2..  6  per  Day  o     12    6 

Decmbr  30  Thos  Lincoln    to    one 

half  Days  work  o       i     o 

Jany  Thos  Lincoln  to  one 

Days  wriding   [writing?]  026 

ABRAHAM   LINCOLN,  SON  OF   MORDECAI  OF   EXETER. 

The  third  son  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  the  elder,  of 
Exeter,  was  John  Lincoln,  or  "Virginia  John,"  as 
tradition  has  handed  down  his  name.  Inasmuch  as 
it  is  through  him  that  the  migration  of  the  Lincoln 
family  is  continued  into  Virginia  and  in  his  descend 
ants  to  Kentucky,  it  will  be  more  convenient  to  treat 
him  last  and  to  consider  his  youngest  brother,  Abra 
ham,  next  before  leaving  the  traces  of  the  family  in 
Pennsylvania. 

The  records  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  posthumous 
son  of  Mordecai  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  and  his  de 
scendants  are  preserved  fortunately  in  an  old  family 
book,  or  "Lincoln  Record,"  as  we  shall  call  it 
here.  This  book,  still  preserved  in  manuscript,  is 
one  of  the  precious  heirlooms  of  the  descendants  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  MS.  contains,  in  the  first 
part,  the  record  of  the  family  of  Abraham  Lincoln 


FIRST  PAGE  OF  THE  ACCOUNT  BOOK  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER. 
(Original  in  the  Possession  of  Richard  Lincoln,  of  Reading,  Pa.) 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  8 1 

and,  in  the  second  part,  the  record  of  the  Boone 
family.*  The  Record  appears  to  have  been  first 
kept  by  posthumous  Abraham  Lincoln,  then  by 
his  sons  Mordecai  and  Thomas,  and  then  by  Thomas' 
son,  John  D.  Lincoln  and  others.  It  was  copied  some 
years  ago  by  Harrison  P.  Lincoln,  who  had  blue 
prints  made  and  furnished  a  number  of  them  to 
libraries  and  individuals. 

The  Lincoln  Record  is  very  precise  in  its  data,  as 
the  entries,  concerning  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Anna 
Boone,  his  wife,  will  show.  The  text  of  the  Lincoln 
part  of  the  "Lincoln  Record"  is  printed  in  full  at  the 
end  of  this  chapter. 

The  name  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  posthumous 
son  of  Mordecai,  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  like  that  of 
his  brothers,  appears  in  the  tax  lists  of  Berks  County, 
Pennsylvania,  as  the  following,  taken  from  the  orig 
inals,  now  found  in  the  possession  of  the  Berks 
County  Historical  Society,  will  show : 


*  A  fragmentary  record  of  the  Boone  family  in  the  hand 
writing  of  the  Lincoln  Record  is  still  extant  in  loose  sheets 
in  the  possession  of  Louis  Richards,  President  of  the  Berks 
County  Historical  Society.  It  contains  the  following  inter 
esting  notes: 

"Daniel  Boone  [son  of  Squire  &  Sarah  Boone]  was  born 
October,  A.  D.  1733. 

He  and  the  Rest  of  their  Family  left  Exeter  on  the  I  May 
1750,  and  moved  to  North  Carolina,  where  they  settled.  But 
at  present  he  is  settled  on  the  Ohio  at  Kentucky. 

1781  October  20.  Then  Daniel  came  to  see  us,  the  first 
Time. 

1788  February  12.  Then  Daniel  Boone  (with  Rebecca  his 
Wife  &  their  Son  Nathan)  came  to  see  us.  Died  at  Charette 
Village  in  Missouri  on  the  26  of  Sept.  1820." 


82  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

£     £     s.     d.     Township 

1758  Abraham  Lincoln 

[Single  Men]  I 

(Special  Assessment) 

1759  Lincoln  Abram  Exeter 

1759  Abram  Lincorn 

[Single  Men] 

1760  Lincoln  Abram  18     I     7  Exeter 

1761  Lincoln,  Abram*  9  Exeter 
1763  Lincoln  Abram  20           5  Exeter 

1765  Lincoln  Abraham    19     I     8     6          Exeter 

1766  Lincoln  Abram        18          46          Exeter 

The  following  entries  of  transactions  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  appear  in  the  land  records : 

Grantor  Abraham  Lincoln,  Dec.  29,  1757,  Grantee  William 

Tallman,  Sch.  River,  book  2B,  page  43. 
Grantors  Abraham  Lincoln  et  al.,  Apr.  n,  1769,  Grantee 

Mordecai  Lincoln,  book  14,  page  543. 
Grantors  Thomas  and  Abraham  Lincoln,  May  9,   1769, 

Grantee  Mordecai  Lincoln,  Exeter,  book  n,  page  307. 
Grantor  Abraham  Lincoln,  May  26,  1769,  Grantee  William 

Tallman,  Exeter,  book  7,  page  195. 

The  first  of  these  documents  gives  such  important 
information  that  it  seemed  well  to  print  it  here. 
From  it  we  learn  the  title  to  the  land  before  Morde 
cai,  the  elder,  of  Exeter  bought  it,  and  also  the  fact 
that  Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  posthumous  son  of 
Mordecai,  the  elder : 


*  This  assessment  was  probably  made  in  1760,  as  the 
Lincoln  Record  says  Abraham  Lincoln  married  Anna  Boone 
July  10,  1760. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  83 

THIS  INDENTURE  Made  the  twenty  ninth  day  of 
December  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  seven  BETWEEN  Abraham 
Lincoln  of  Exeter  in  the  County  of  Berks  In  the 
Province  of  Pennsylvania  Yeoman  of  the  one  part 
and  William  Tallman  of  the  same  place  Weaver 
of  the  other  part  WHEREAS  by  Certain  Indentures 
of  Lease  and  Release  dated  the  Nineteenth  and 
Twentieth  days  of  February  in  the  Year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  &  Eighteen 
made  between  Tobias  Collet  Citizen  and  Haber 
dasher  of  London  Daniel  Quair  of  London  and 
Henry  Goldney  of  London  Linnen  Draper  of  one 
part  and  Andrew  Robison  then  of  Roxburrow  in 
the  County  of  Philadelphia  Yeoman  of  the  Other 
part  and  Recorded  in  Philada.  in  Book  H  Coll.  4. 
page  118  &  they  the  said  Tobias  Collet  Daniel 
Quair,  and  Henry  Goldney  for  the  Consideration 
therein  Mentioned  Confirmed  unto  the  said  An 
drew  Robison  in  ffee  A  Certain  Tract  of  Land 
Lying  on  the  East  side  of  the  River  Schuylkill  in 
Philadelpa.  County  Beginning  at  a  Beech  tree  by 
the  said  River  Schuylkill  and  Running  thence 
North  twenty  degrees  East  four  hundred  and 
twenty  Perches  to  a  Corner  Stone  thence  North 
Seventy  degrees  West  ffour  hundred  and  twenty 
perches  to  a  post  then  South  Twenty  Degrees  West 
two  hundred  and  Ninty  Perches  to  a  Hickery  Tree 
marked  Standing  on  the  Bank  of  the  said  River 
then  down  the  same  on  ye  Several  Courses  thereof 
to  the  place  of  beginning  Containing  one  thousand 
Acres  of  Land  [and  a  Certain  Tract  of  Six  Hun- 


84  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

dred  Acres  Lying  on  the  West  Side  of  Schuylkill 
with  the  Appurtenances]  The  said  Two  Tracts  of 
Land  to  be  holden  by  the  said  Andrew  Robison 
his  heirs  and  Assigns  Under  the  Yearly  Quit  Rent 
of  one  Bever  Skin  on  the  first  day  of  March  for 
ever  AND  the  said  Andrew  Robison  being  So 
Seized  of  the  said  Premises  Dyed  did  by  his  Last 
Will  and  Testament  bearing  date  Anno  Domi  1719 
Give  unto  his  third  Son  Jonathan  Robison  the 
above  Described  one  thousand  Acres  of  Land  with 
ye  Appurtenances  AND  Whereas  Andrew  Robison 
Eldest  Son  and  heir  at  Law  of  the  said  Andrew 
Robison  the  Testator  in  and  by  a  Deed  Poll  under 
his  hand  and  Seal  duly  Executed  for  ye  Consid 
eration  Therein  Mentioned  did  Grant  Release  Quit 
Claim  and  Confirm  unto  the  said  Jonathan  Robi 
son  all  the  said  one  thousand  Acres  of  Land  with 
the  Appurtenances  To  HOLD  to  him  the  said  Jona 
than  Robison  His  Heirs  and  Assigns  forever  as 
by  the  said  Deed  dated  the  tenth  day  of  January 
A :  D :  1726  may  Appear  AND  WHEREAS  by  Cer 
tain  Indentures  of  Lease  &  Release  Tripartite  made 
between  Jonathan  Robison  and  Elizabeth  his  wife 
of  the  first  part  Mordecai  Lincoln  of  ye  second 
part  and  Thomas  Millard  of  ye  third  part  the 
said  Jonathan  Robison  &  Elizabeth  his  Wife 
and  Mordecai  Lincoln  by  Indentures  of 
Lease  and  Release  dated  the  Sixth  and  Seventh 
days  of  Octobed  1729  did  Confirm  ye  said  one 
thousand  Acres  of  Land  unto  Thomas  Millard  in 
free  AND  the  said  Thomas  Millard  and  Barbara  his 
Wife  by  Indentures  of  Lease  and  Release  dated 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  85 

the  Ninth  and  tenth  days  of  May  A°.  D°.  1730  did 
Confirm  the  same  One  thousand  Acres  of  Land 
unto  the  Above  Named  Mordecai  Lincoln  ye  Elder 
in  fee  and  being  so  Seized  thereof  dyed  WHO 
by  his  Last  Will  and  Testament  dated  the  22  day 
of  February  A:  D:  1735  and  Registered  in  ye 
Registers  Office  in  Philada.  June  7.  1736  did  give 
and  Bequeath  unto  his  Son  Abraham  Lincoln 
[Party  to  these  Presents]  the  one  third  Part  of 
the  said  one  thousand  Acres  of  Land  to  be  taken 
from  the  West  End  thereof  which  hath  been  Ami 
cably  Done  Now  THIS  INDENTURE  WITNESSETH 
that  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  for  and  in  Consid 
eration  of  the  Sum  of  Nine  Pound  Current  Money 
of  Pennsylvania  to  him  in  hand  paid  by  the  said 
William  Tallman  at  and  before  ye  Sealing  and 
Delivery  hereof  the  Receipt  thereof  is  hereby  ac 
knowledged  Hath  granted  bargained  and  Sold 
Aliened  Enfeofed  and  Confirmed  and  by  these 
presents  doth  grant  bargain  and  Sell  Alien  En- 
feofe  &  Confirm  uneo  the  said  William  Tallman 
and  to  his  heirs  and  Assigns  forever  A  CERTAIN 
Messuage  Tenement  and  Piece  of  Land  [part  of 
the  one  third  part  of  the  above  Described  one 
thousand  Acres  BEGINNING  at  an  Ash  tree  Stand 
ing  on  the  West  bank  of  the  Great  Creek  in  a  line 
of  Thomas  Lincolns  Land  thence  by  ye  Same 
North  Seventeen  Degrees  and  a  half  East  thirty 
one  Perches  to  a  Black  Oak  &  a  Corner  thence 
by  sd  Abraham  Lincoln's  Other  Land  the  three 
following  Courses  and  distances  Viz.  North  Sev 
enty  two  degrees  and  a  half  West  Eight  perches 


86  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

to  a  hickory  and  South  twenty  Nine  Degrees 
West  Thirty  one  perches  and  a  half  to  a  post 
thence  South  Seventy  two  degrees  and  a  half 
East  twelve  perches  &  Six  tenths  to  the  place 
of  beginning  Containing  two  Acres  of  Land  To 
gether  with  all  wood  Underwoods  Ways  Waters 
Water  Courses  profits  commodities  Advantages 
Hereditaments  and  Appurtenances  whatsoever 
unto  the  Above  Described  Piece  of  Land  belong 
ing  or  in  any  wise  appertaining  and  the  Reversion 
And  Reversions  Remainder  and  Remainders 
Rents  Issues  and  Profits  thereof  and  all  the  Es 
tate  Right  title  Jnterest  Claim  and  Demand  of 
him  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  in  and  to  the  prem 
ises  herein  Mentioned  or  Intended  to  be  Men 
tioned  and  every  Part  and  Parcell  thereof 
AND  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  for  himself  his 
heirs  and  Assigns  doth  Covenant  promise  and 
grant  unto  the  said  William  Tallman  and  to  his 
heirs  and  Assigns  that  he  the  said  William  Tall 
man  for  himself  his  heirs  and  Assigns  shall  have 
the  Sole  priviledge  and  Power  to  draw  and  Con 
vey  [According  as  he  his  heirs  or  Assigns  shall 
think  fit  for  the  sufficient  Watering  the  said  Piece 
of  Land  out  of  the  Above  Mentioned  Great  Creek 
or  any  part  of  said  Creek  that  is  near  the  bounds 
of  said  Two  Acres  of  Land  To  HAVE  AND  TO 
HOLD  the  said  Messuage  Tennament  and  Piece 
of  Land  and  all  and  Singular  the  premises  And 
Priviledges  aforesaid  and  every  part  and  Clause 
thereof  with  the  Appurtenances  unto  the  said 
William  Tallman  his  heirs  and  Assigns  to  the  only 


ADMINISTRATORS'  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ESTATE  OF  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN,  SON 
MORDECAI  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER.     (  First  Page.  ) 


OF 


»' 


r 


ADMINISTRATORS'  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ESTATE  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  SON  OF 
MORDECAI  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER.     (Second  Page.) 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  87 

proper  Use  and  behoof  of  him  the  said  William 
Tallman  his  heirs  and  Assigns  for  Ever  Under 
the  proportional  part  of  the  Yearly  Quitrents 
from  hence  forward  accruing  unto  the  Chief  Lord 
or  Lords  of  the  ffee  thereof  AND  the  said 
Abraham  Lincoln  for  himself  And  his  heirs  doth 
Covenant  with  the  said  William  Tallman  his 
heirs  and  Assigns  that  the  said  Abraham  Lin 
coln  and  his  heirs  the  above  Mentioned  Messuage 
Tennament  and  Piece  of  Land  Hereditament 
Premises  and  Priviledges  and  every  Part  and 
Clause  thereof  with  the  Appurtenances  unto  the 
said  William  Tallman  his  heirs  and  Assigns 
Against  all  persons  whatsoever  Shall  Warrant 
and  forever  Defend  By  these  presents  AND  FUR 
THER  that  he  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  and  his 
heirs  and  every  Other  Person  and  Persons  and 
his  and  their  heirs  any  thing  having  or  Claiming 
in  the  said  Messuage  and  Piece  of  Land  And 
Priviledges  above  mentioned  to  be  hereby  Grant 
ed  or  any  Part  thereof  shall  and  will  at  all  times 
hereafter  upon  the  Reasonable  Request  and  at 
the  Cost  and  Charges  of  the  said  William  Tall 
man  his  heirs  and  Assigns  Make  do  and  Exe 
cute  or  Cause  to  be  all  and  every  such  further  & 
other  Law  full  and  Reasonable  Act  and  Acts 
thing  and  things  Device  and  Devises  Conveyance 
&  Conveyances  in  the  Law  whatsoever  for  the 
further  and  better  assuring  &  Confirming  of 
ye  Above  Mentioned  Piece  of  Land  &  Priviledges 
with  the  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  William 
Tallman  his  heirs  and  Assigns  forever  as  by  his 


88  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

or  their  Counsil  Learned  in  the  Law  shall  be 
Reasonably  Devised  Advised  and  Required  IN 
WITNESS  whereof  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  hath 
hereunto  Set  his  hand  and  Seal  dated  the  day 
and  year  first  above  writen.  Abraham  Lincoln 
(Seal)  Sealed  and  Delivered  in  the  presence  of 
Us  John  Powell  Benja.  Parks  Received  the  day  of 
the  date  of  the  Above  Writen  Indenture  of  the 
Above  Named  William  Tallman  The  Sum  of 
Nine  Pounds  being  in  full  the  Consideration 
above  Mentioned  J  say  Received  Abraham  Lin 
coln  John  Powell  Benja.  Park  (indorsed  thus)  On 
the  Eighteenth  Day  of  Aug*.  Anno  Domi  1759 
before  me  Jonas  Seely  Esqr.  one  of  the  Justices 
&c  for  the  County  of  Berks  Came  ye  within 
Named  Abram  Lincoln  and  Acknowledged  the 
within  Indenture  to  be  his  Act  and  Deed  and  De- 
sird  the  same  May  be  Recorded  as  such  in  Tes 
timony  where  of  J  have  hereunto  Set  my  Hand 
and  Seal  the  Day  &  Date  above  written  Jonas 
Seely  (Seal)  (and  further  indorsed  thus) 

To  ALL  PEOPLE  TO  WHOME  THESE  PRESENTS 
SHALL  COME  Know  YE  that  we  Mordecai  Lincoln 
and  Thomas  Lincoln  of  Exeter  in  the  County  of 
Berks  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  [Sons  of 
Mordecai  Lincoln  Deceased  and  Within  Men 
tioned]  for  divers  good  Causes  and  Considera 
tions  us  thereunto  Moving  have  Remised  Re 
leased  and  forever  Quit  Claimed  and  By  these 
presents  do  Remise  Release  and  for  Ever  Quit 
Claim  unto  William  Tallman  [within  Mentioned] 
his  heirs  and  Assigns  for  Ever  all  that  Messuage 


ADMINISTRATOR'S  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ESTATE  OF  ANN  LINCOLN,  WIDOW 
OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  OF  EXETER. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  89 

Tenement  And  Piece  of  Land  of  two  Acres  with 
the  priviledges  and  Appurtenances  and  every  part 
thereof  [Which  in  the  Within  Indenture  is  Speci 
fied  Mentioned  or  Intended  to  be  Mentioned]  To 
HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  all  and  Singular  the  said  Mes 
suage  Tennament  and  Piece  of  Land  and  Privi- 
ledge  with  the  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  Wil 
liam  Tallman  his  heirs  and  Assigns  forever 
And  all  the  Estate  Right  Title  Interest  Claim  and 
Demand  whatsoever  of  us  the  said  Mordecai 
and  Thomas  Lincoln  and  of  each  of  us  our  heirs 
and  each  of  our  heirs  and  Assigns  or  any  Other 
Person  or  Persons  Claiming  or  to  Claim  by  from 
or  Under  us  or  Any  of  Us  of  in  and  to  the 
thereby  Granted  Premises  &  Privileges  or  any 
Part  thereof  IN  WITNESS  whereof  we  have  here 
unto  Jnterchangeably  Set  our  hand  &  Seals  This 
twenty  Ninth  Day  of  December  in  the  Year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  Seven  hundred  and  fifty 
Seven  Mordecai  Lincoln  (Seal)  Thomas  Lincoln 
(Seal)  SEALED  AND  DELIVERED  in  the  presence 
of  Us  John  Powell  Benja.  Parks  Berks  County  ss 
Be  it  remembered  that  on  the  twenty  fifth  Day 
of  October  Anno  Domini  1774  Before  me  the 
Subscriber  One  of  His  Majesty's  Justices  of  the 
Peace  of  the  County  of  Berks  Came  Benjamin 
Parks  of  the  Town  of  Reading  in  the  said  County 
Joiner  and  (being  one  of  the  People  called  Quak 
ers)  on  his  solemn  Affirmation  according  to  Law 
did  declare  that  he  saw  the  Above  Named  Mor 
decai  Lincoln  &  Thomas  Lincoln  Sign  Seal  and 
as  their  Act  and  Deed  respectively  deliver  the 
above  Instrument  of  Writing  and  that  the  Name 


90  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Benja.  Parks  thereto  Subscribed  is  of  this  Affirm- 
ant's  proper  Hand  Writing  and  was  by  him  Sub 
scribed  as  a  Witness  to  the  Execution  thereof 
(John  Powell  the  other  Witness  Signing  his 
Name  as  Witness  at  the  Same  time)  And  at  the 
Same  Time  Came  also  to  the  above  named  Thomas 
Lincoln  and  Acknowledged  the  above  Instrument 
of  Writing  to  be  his  Act  and  Deed  and  desired  the 
same  might  be  recorded  as  such  According  to  Law 
Witness  my  Hand  and  Seal  the  Day  and  Year 
aforesaid  James  Read  (Seal)  Recorded  and  this 
Record  and  the  Original  diligently  compared  and 
found  to  Agree  exactly  Word  for  Word  and  Fig 
ure  for  Figure  the  Twenty  Sixth  Day  of  October 
Anno  Domini  1774. 

The  old  Account  Book  of  Abraham  Lincoln  shows 
that  he  ran  a  sawmill,  which  stood  on  the  race  run 
ning  through  the  land  of  the  brothers,  Mordecai  and 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  earliest  reference  in  the 
account  to  the  sawmill  is  found  in  the  following 
entry  made  in  the  year  1758 : 

Mordecai   Lincoln  to   one  half   days   sewing  Jn 

exchange  of  Work 

£     s     d 

Thomas  Lincoln  to  Sawing  of  60  foot     o     I     o 

The  mill  account  continues  on  into  the  seventies, 
showing  that  Abraham  carried  on  a  steady  business 
at  the  mill. 

In  the  land  records  the  following  references  to  the 
race  and  the  sawmill  are  found : 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  QI 

"that  nothing  herein  before  mentioned  expressed 
or  contained  shall  in  any  wise  prevent  or  hinder 
the  said  Mordecai  Lincoln  and  Abraham  Lincoln 
their  Heirs  Executors  Administrators  or  Assigns 
or  any  of  them  from  having  or  enjoying  all  the 
Liberties  and  Privileges  to  which  they  are  respec 
tively  intitled  to  by  Virtue  of  certain  Articles  of 
Agreement  Dated  the  first  Day  of  April  Anno 
Domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
eight  made  between  Abraham  Lincoln  George 
Henton,  Mordecai  Lincoln  and  Thomas  Lincoln 
concerning  a  Water  Saw  Mill  now  erected  and 
made  on  the  Land  of  the  said  Mordecai  Lincoln 
and  Abraham  Lincoln  their  Heirs  and  Assigns  re 
spectively  are  or  shall  be  entitled  to  relative  to 
the  Water  of  the  said  Creek  &  Water  Course 
aforesaid  by  Virtue  of  the  Said  recited  Award] 
Said  Mordecai  Lincoln  (Seal)  Abraham  Lincoln 
(Seal)" 

*****  North  five  degrees  East  Eleven  Perches 
to  a  Black  Oak  on  the  said  Race  thence  on  the 
same  North  four  Degrees  West  Ten  Perches  to 
a  White  Oak  Bush  on  Abraham  Lincoln's  Line 
thence  by  the  same  Abraham's  Land  South  sev 
enteen  Degrees  and  a  half  West  one  hundred 
and  nineteen  Perches  to  an  Ash  Tree,  on  the  West 
Bank  of  the  Great  Creek  (being  a  Corner  of  the 
said  Abraham  and  Thomas  Lincoln's  and  Wil 
liam  Tallman's  Land)  thence  Crossing  the  Said 
Creek  by  Thomas  Lincoln's  Land * 


*  This  document  is  a  Deed  of  Sale  by  William  Tallman 
and  Anne  Tallman,  his  wife,  to  Jacob  Bechtel  Oct.  16,  1766. 


92  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

The  old  Account  Book  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the 
posthumous  son  of  Mordecai,  the  elder,  of  Exeter, 
is  extant.  It  begins  with  1756  and  continues  quite 
regularly  until  1772  and  after  that  with  considerable 
gaps  until  1779.  The  book  affords  an  interesting 
glimpse  into  the  daily  occupations  of  the  Lincolns, 
Boones,  Hintons,  Rogers  and  other  families  of  Berks 
County  before  the  Revolution.  It  is  a  rare  document 
as  an  original  source  of  Pennsylvania  history.  The 
MS.  is  3  11/16  x  6  1/8  inches  in  size  and 
contains  41  leaves.  The  book  now  belongs  to 
Richard  Lincoln,  of  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  who 
allowed  the  present  writer  to  make  use  of  it. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  a  man  of  importance  in  his 
community.  The  Commission  Book  for  the  years 
1758-1783  shows  that  he  was  elected  County  Com 
missioner  October,  1772,  and  served  till  1779.  He 
appears  as  Sub-Lieutenant  in  Berks  County,  March 
21,  1777. 

He  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  as  follows : 

October  28,  1782. 
October  27,  (?)  1783. 
October  25,  1784. 
October  24,  1785. 

He  served  as  assemblyman  on  the  very  impor 
tant  Committee  of  Grievances  and  was  an  important 
champion  of  the  rights  of  the  people  in  every  meas 
ure  that  affected  the  delegation  of  the  power  of  the 
people.  This  was  particularly  noticeable  in  constitu- 


FIRST  Two  PAGES  OF  THE  OLD  "LINCOLN  RECORD." 
(Original  in  the  Possession  of  Harrison  G.  Lincoln,  of  Reading,  Pa.) 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  93 

tional  discussions  of  1785-6.  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  chosen  to  make  the  address  to  Washington  in 
Philadelphia  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  He 
also  took  part  in  the  Constitutional  Convention  of 
1789-1790.* 

As  the  Account  Book  shows,  he  was  Super 
visor  of  Roads  and  evidently  entrusted  with  the  re 
pairs  of  the  school  house  in  1771,  showing  probably 
that  he  was  Chief  School  Commissioner.  Abraham 
Lincoln  died  January  31,  1806,  and  was  buried  at 
Exeter.  Ann,  his  wife  and  widow,  died  April  4, 
1807,  and  was  buried  also  at  Exeter.  The  estates  of 
both  Abraham  and  Ann  were  settled  by  their  chil 
dren,  as  the  accompanying  photographic  reproduc 
tions  of  the  administrators'  accounts  with  their  sig 
natures  will  show. 

LINCOLN    RECORD. 

Abraham  Lincoln  (son  of  Mordecai  Lincoln 
and  Mary  his  Wife)  born  on  the  Second  Day  of 
the  Week,  at  7..  O  Clock  in  the  Afternoon  on 
the  i8th  of  October,  Old  Style,  Anno  Domini 
1736:  or,  A.  D.  1736  October  29,  New  Style. 

Anna  Boone  (Daughter  of  James  Boone  and 
Mary  his  Wife)  born  on  the  First  Day  of  the 
Week,  about  5..  O'Clock  in  the  Afternoon,  on 


*  These  facts  relating  to  Abraham  Lincoln's  activity  as  a 
member  of  the  Assembly  are  taken  from  a  most  interesting 
unpublished  paper  by  Dr.  A.  H.  Shearer,  of  Dartmouth  Col 
lege,  who  kindly  allowed  the  present  writer  to  make  them 
public. 


94  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

the  3rd  of  April,  Old  Style,  Anno  Domini  1737: 
or,  A.  D.  1737  April  14th  New  Style. 

Abraham  Lincoln  and  Anna  Boone  were  Mar 
ried  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  Week,  on  the 
ioth  of  July  A.  D.  1760  when  his  age  was  23 
Years  8  Mon.  n  Days  and  her  Age  was  23  "  2 
"  26  "  — he  being  5  months  15  Days  &  22  Hours 
older  than  she. 

N.  B.  The  Style  was  altered  in  the  Year 
1752.  The  2nd  of  September  was  the  last  day 
in  the  Old  Style;  and  next  day  instead  of  ac 
counting  it  the  3rd  of  September  it  was  accounted 
the  14th  of  Sept.  next  day  the  15th  &c 

Here  follows  the  Times  of  the  Births  of  the 
Children  of  Abraham  Lincoln  &  Anne  Lincoln  his 
Wife,  with  the  Differences  of  their  Ages  set  down 
likewise. 

Ist  Mary  Lincoln,  (Daughter  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln  &  Anne  Lincoln)  Born  the  1 5th  of  September 
Anno  Domini  1761,  on  the  Third  Day  of  the  Week, 
about  10..  o'Clock  at  Night. 

2nd  Martha  Lincoln,  (Daughter  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  &  Anne  Lincoln)  Born  the  25th  of  January 
Anno  Domini  1763,  on  the  Third  Day  of  the  Week, 
about  10..  o'Clock  in  the  Morning. 

Martha  being  iY..  4M..  90..  I2H.  younger  than 
Mary. 

3d  Mordecai  Lincoln,  junior,  (son  of  Abraham 
&  Anne  Lincoln)  Born  the  IIth  of  January  Anno 
Domini  1765  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  Week  about 
15  Minutes  after  Seven  in  the  Morning. 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  95 

Mordecai  being  iY..  nM..  i6D..  2iH..  15  Min. 
younger  than  Martha. 

4th  James  Lincoln  (son  of  Abraham  &  Anne 
Lincoln  Born  the  5th  of  May  Anno  Domini  1767, 
on  the  Third  Day  of  the  Week,  at  or  about  10.. 
o'Clock  in  the  Morning. 

James  being  2Y..  3M..  240..  45m.  younger  than 
Mordecai. 

5th  Anna  Lincoln,  (Daughter  of  Abraham  & 
Anne  Lincoln  Born  the  19th  of  April  Anno  Domini 
1769,  on  the  4th  Day  of  the  Week,  at  7.  o'Clock  in 
the  Morning. 

Anna  being  iY..  nM..  130..  2iH.  younger  than 
James. 

6th  Rachel  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln  &  Anne  Lincoln)  Born  the  24th  of  March 
A.  D.  1771,  on  the  First  Day  of  the  Week  at  19 
Minutes  past  6..  o'Clock  in  the  Morning. 

Rachel  being  iY..  nM..  40..  23!!..  younger 
than  Anna. 

7th  Phebe  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Abraham  Lin 
coln  and  Anne  Lincoln)  Born  in  Anno  Domini 
1773  January  22d.  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  Week 
at  5  Minutes  past  8..  o'Clock  at  Night. 

Phebe  being  i  Y..  9M..  290. :  I3H. :  46m.  younger 
than  Rachel. 

8th  Anne  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Abraham  & 
Anne  Lincoln)  was  born  in  Anno  Domini  1774 
October  19th  on  the  Fourth  Day  of  the  Week,  at 
25  minutes  past  u..  o'Clock  in  the  Morning. 

Anne  being  iY. :  8M. :  26D. :  15!!. :  2om.  younger 
than  Phebe. 


96  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Rachel  Lincoln  (the  6th  child  of  Abraham  & 
Anne  Lincoln)  departed  this  Life  on  the  Fourth 
Day  of  the  Week,  at  50  Minutes  past  i  o'Clock  in 
the  Afternoon,  and  on  the  19th  day  of  July,  A.  D. 
J775;  aged  4Y- :  3M. :  250.:  7H. :  31111.  and  was 
interred  at  Exeter  the  next  Day. 

9th  Thomas  Lincoln  (son  of  Abraham  &  Anne 
Lincoln)  was  born  on  the  Fourth  Day  of  the  Week 
at  10  Minutes  past  two  in  the  Morning,  and  on  the 
12th  Day  of  March  A.  D.  1777. 

Thomas  being  2Y. :  4.M. :  2oD. :  14!!. :  45m. 
younger  than  Anne. 

ioth  John  Lincoln  (son  of  Abraham  &  Anne 
Lincoln)  was  born  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  Week 
at  ten  Minutes  past  three  in  the  Morning,  and  on 
the  2ist  Day  of  October  A.  D.  1779. 

John  being  2Y. :  7M. :  90.:  iH.  younger  than 
Thomas. 

Abraham  Lincoln  (son  of  Mordecai  &  Mary 
Lincoln)  departed  this  Life,  at  his  House  in 
Exeter,  on  the  6th  Day  of  the  Week  at  15  minutes 
past  7  in  the  Morning  and  on  the  3 Ist  of  January 
A.  D.  1806  aged  69 Y.:  3M.:  iD.:  7H. :  isM.  and 
was  interred  at  Exeter  on  the  2nd  of  February  on 
the  First  Day  of  the  Week. 

Ann  Lincoln  (Widow  of  Abraham  Lincoln)  de 
parted  this  Life  in  Exeter  on  the  7th  day  of  the 
Week,  at  10  minutes  past  2  in  the  afternoon  and  on 
the  4th  of  April  A.  D.  1807  aged  69 Y.  nM.  2iD. 
I4H.  lorn,  and  was  interred  at  Exeter  on  the  6th 
of  April  on  the  2nd  day  of  the  Week. 

Julian  Mayberry  born  the  5th  Day  of  February 
A  D  1780. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  97 

Mordecai  Lincoln  &  Julian  Mayberry  were  Mar 
ried  the  5th  of  May  A.  D.  1812  on  the  3rd  day  of 
the  Week  at  8  O'Clock  in  the  afternoon. 

1.  Rachel  Lincoln    (daughter  of  Mordecai  & 
Julian  Lincoln)  was  Born  the  6th  of  May  A.  D. 

1813  on  the  5th  day  of  the  Week,  at  6  o'clock  in 
the  Afternoon. 

2.  Ann    Lincoln    (Daughter    of    Mordecai    & 
Julian  Lincoln)  born  the  Ist  of  August  A.  D.  1814 
on  the  2nd  Day  of  the  Week  at  50  Minutes  past  2 
o  Clock  in  the  Morning. 

Ann  being  i  Y. :  2M. :  240. :  14!!. :  5om.  younger 
than  Rachel. 

3.  Abraham  M.  Lincoln  (son  of  Mordecai  & 
Julian  Lincoln)  born  the  Ist  of  August  A  D  1814 
on  the  2nd  Day  of  the  Week,  at  48  Minutes  past  6 
o  Clock  in  the  Morning. 

Abraham  being  3H. :  58m  younger  than  Ann. 
Ann  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Mordecai  &  Julian 
Lincoln)  departed  this  Life  on  the  4th  of  August 

1814  on  the  5th  Day  of  the  Week  at  8  o  Clock  in 
the  Morning  Aged  3D. :  7H. :  I2m. 

Abraham  Lincoln  (son  of  Mordecai  &  Julian 
Lincoln)  departed  this  Life  on  the  8th  of  August 

1815  on  the  3rd  Day  of  the  Week  at  10  o.Clock  at 
Night  Aged  i  Y. :  oM. :  7D. :  I5H. :  I2m. 

4.  Margaret  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Mordecai  & 
Julian  Lincoln)  born  July  21  AD  1817,  40  minutes 
past  5  O  Clock  in  the  Morning    And  departed  this 
Life  1817  on  the  13th  Day  of  August  at  24  minutes 
past  3  o  Clock  in  the  Morning.    Aged  22D. :  2iH. : 
44m. 


98  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

5.  Margaret  Lincoln  (Daughter  of  Mordecai  & 
Julian  Lincoln)  born  May  12th  1820  at  o  o  Clock 
and  48  Minutes  in  the  afternoon. 

Mordecai  Lincoln  (Son  of  Abraham  Lincoln  & 
Anne  his  Wife)  Departed  this  Life  in  Exeter 
Township  the  12th  day  of  September  on  the  5th 
day  of  the  Week  about  10  minutes  before  6  o  Clock 
in  the  afternoon  A  D  1822  Aged  5;Y. :  8M. :  iD. 
When  he  had  Lived  with  his  Wife  loY. :  3M.  ;D. 

Julian  Lincoln  Widow  of  Mordecai  Lincoln 
Departed  this  life  in  Allentown  Lehigh  Co.  the  6th 
Day  of  March  on  the  7th  day  of  the  Week  about 
12  o  Clock  noon  A  D  1858  Aged  78  Y. :  iM. :  iD. 

Margaret  Lincoln  &  Bartholomew  Barto  were 
Married  Dec  7th  1841  Her  Age  being  21  Y.:  8M. : 
7D. 

Alice  Dehaven  daughter  of  Abraham  Dehaven 
from  Lancaster  Co.  and  wife  of  Thomas  Lincoln 
was  born  June  25th  1770.  She  departed  this  Life 
Dec  29th  1836  Aged  66  Y.  6M.  30. 

Thomas  Lincoln  departed  this  life  Dec  27th  1863 
Aged  86Y.  QM.  150. 

Martha  Lincoln  daughter  of  Thomas  &  Allice 
Lincoln  departed  this  Life  Oct.  12th  1858  at  9 
o  clock  in  the  morning  Aged  46Y. :  loM. :  2oD. 
(called  also  Martha  Kaub)  Grave  is  6th  in  5th  row 
at  Exeter  Meeting. 

John  D  Lincoln  son  of  Thomas  &  Alice  Lin 
coln  was  born  Jan  i  1815  on  the  Ist  day  of  the 
Week. 

[Book  is  here  defaced,  but  it  appears  to  be  a 
record  of  a  2nd  Marriage  of  Thomas  Lincoln  to 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  99 

Hannah  E ,  who  was  born  the  7th  of  March, 

1827,  near  Douglassville — Harrison  P.  Lincoln.] 

John  Lincoln  son  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  departed 
this  life  on  the  4th  Day  of  April  1864  Aged  84 Y. 
5M.  2iD. 

James  Lincoln  son  of  Abraham  Lincoln  died  in 
Carnarven  Twp.  Berks  Co.  in  Morgantown  3rd 
day  of  Week  between  8  &  9  o'Clock  in  the  morn 
ing  A  D  1860  Aged  93  Y.  7M.  6D. 

Interred  at  Morgantown  13th. 

David  J.  Lincoln  died  April  ioth  1886  at  Birds- 
borough  Aged  70  years. 

Children  of  John  D.  &  Sarah  Lincoln. 

1  Ametia  Born  March  28  1838 

2  Alfred      "      Apr  21  1839 

3  Harrison  H.  Born  July  28  1840 

4  Elizabeth          "      Nov  20  1841 

5  John  "      Mar  7  1843  Died  July  19 

1876 

6  Richard  Born  Dec  5th  1844 

7  Martha       "        "    12th  1846 

8  Ann  (or  Anna)  Born  Feb  i6th  1849 

9  Sarah  "      May  24th  1851 

10  Mary  "      Apr  24th  1852 

11  Oscar  "      Feb  16  1855  Died  Apr 

25th  1857 

[Book  is  here  defaced  but  record  appears  to 
read  that  John  D  Lincoln  married  Sarah  Solbert 
or  Gilbert  on  Jan  2th  1837  and  that  he  died  Jan  27 
1868— Harrison  P.  Lincoln]* 


*  The  copy  made  by  Harrison  P.  Lincoln,  now  found  in 
the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  has  been  used  in  con 
nection  with  the  original  manuscript  Lincoln  Record. 


IOO  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 


CHAPTER  VI. 

JOHN    LINCOLN    OR    "VIRGINIA   JOHN,"    SON   OF 
MORDECAI  OF  EXETER. 

It  is  with  John  Lincoln,  the  third  son  of  Mordecai 
Lincoln,  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  that  the  Lincoln  line 
continues  its  migration  from  Pennsylvania  into  Vir 
ginia,  the  Great  Valley  and  the  Middle  West.  It 
has  been  possible  to  trace  the  track  of  this  migration 
in  the  land  records  and  other  documents. 

According  to  the  will  of  his  father,  Mordecai  Lin 
coln,  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  John  Lincoln  received  his 
share  of  the  estate  his  father's  land  in  New  Jersey. 
So  whatever  land  he  .possessed  in  Pennsylvania  had 
to  be  acquired  by  purchase  in  some  form.  The  earli 
est  mention  of  John  Lincoln  in  the  land  records  of 
Pennsylvania  is  found  in  proprietary  grant  dated 
June  28,  1746,  and  runs  as  follows: 

THOMAS    PENN    &    RICHARD    PENN 

Esquires  true  and  absolute  Proprietaries  and 
Governors  in  Chief  of  the  Province  of  Pennsyl 
vania  and  Counties  of  Newcastle  Kent  &  Sus 
sex  upon  Delaware  To  all  unto  whom  these  Pres 
ents  shall  come  Greeting: 

WHEREAS  in  Pursuance  of  a  Warrant  dated  the 
Twenty  eighth  Day  of  lune  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  forty  six  there  was  surveyed  unto 
lohn  Lloyd  A  certain  Tract  of  Land  situate  in 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  IOI 

Union  Street  in  the  County  of  Berks  Beginning 
at  a  marked  black  Oak  Thence  by  vacant  Land 
South  West  seventy  nine  Perches  to  a  Post  South 
East  one  hundred  and  eight  Perches  to  a  Chest 
nut  Oak  and  North  East  seventy  nine  Perches 
to  a  Post  Thence  by  John  Lloyd's  other  Land 
North  West  one  hundred  and  eight  Perches  to 
the  Place  of  Beginning  Containing  Fifty  Acres 
and  forty  nine  Perches  and  Allowance  of  Six 
Acres  Pr  Cent  for  Roads  &  Highways  As  in  and 
by  the  said  Warrant  and  Survey  remaining  in  the 
Surveyor  Generals  Office  &  from  thence  Certified 
into  our  Secretaries  Office  more  fully  appears  and 
Whereas  the  said  John  Lloyd  in  and  by  his  Deed 
or  Articles  of  Agreement  dated  the  ninth  day  of 
October  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty 
six  did  grant  bargain  &  sell  all  his  Right  to  the 
said  Warrant  Land  &  Improvements  with  the  Ap 
purtenances  unto  John  Lincoln  then  of  Caernar 
von  Township  Yeoman  his  Heirs  &  Assigns  for 
ever  As  by  the  said  Deed  now  produced  appears 
Now  at  the  Instance  and  Request  of  the  said 
John  Lincoln  that  we  would  be  pleased  to  grant 
him  a  Confirmation  of  the  same  know  Ye  that  in 
Consideration  of  the  sum  of  Three  Pounds  fifteen 
Shillings  and  eleven  Pence  lawful  Money  of  Penn 
sylvania  to  our  Use  paid  by  the  said  John  Lin 
coln  (The  Receipt  whereof  we  hereby  acknowl 
edge  and  thereof  do  acquit  and  for  ever  Dis 
charge  the  said  John  Lincoln  his  Heirs  and  As 
signs  by  the  Presents)  and  of  the  yearly  Quitrent 
hereinafter  mentioned  and  reserved  We  have 
given  granted  released  and  confirmed  and  by 


IO2  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

these  Presents  do  give  grant  release  and  confirm 
unto  the  said  John  Lincoln  his  Heirs  and  As 
signs  the  said  Fifty  Acres  &  forty-nine  Perches 
of  Land  as  the  same  are  now  set  forth  bounded 
and  limited  as  aforesaid  With  all  Mines  Minerals 
Quarries  Meadows  Marshes  Savannahs  Swamps 
Cripples  Woods  Underwoods  Timber  and  Trees 
Ways  Waters  Watercourses  Liberties  Profits 
Commodities  Advantages  Hereditaments  &  Ap 
purtenances  whatsoever  thereunto  belonging  or 
in  any  wise  appurtaining  and  lying  within  the 
Bounds  &  Limits  aforesaid  [Three  full  &  clear 
fifth  Parts  of  all  Royal  Mines  free  from  all  De 
ductions  and  Reprizals  for  digging  &  refining 
the  same  and  also  one  fifth  Part  of  the  Ore  of 
all  other  Mines  delivered  at  the  Pitsmouth  only 
excepted  and  hereby  reserved]  and  also  free 
.  Leave  Right  and  Liberty  to  and  for  the  said 
John  Lincoln  his  Heirs  and  Assigns  to  Hawk 
Hunt  Fish  &  Fowl  in  &  upon  the  hereby  granted 
Land  and  Premises  or  upon  any  Part  thereof  To 
HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  the  said  fifty  Acres  and  forty 
nine  Perches  of  Land  &  Premises  hereby 
granted  (except  as  before  excepted)  with  their 
Appurtenances  unto  the  said  John  Lincoln  his 
Heirs  and  Assigns  To  the  only  Use  &  Behoof  of 
the  said  John  Lincoln  his  Heirs  and  Assigns  for 
ever  To  BE  HOLDEN  of  us  our  Heirs  &  Succes 
sors  Proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania  as  of  our 
Manor  of  Ruscombe  in  the  County  of  Berks 
aforesaid  in  free  &  common  Soccage  by  Fealty 
only  in  Lieu  of  all  other  Services  yielding  and 
Paying  therefore  yearly  unto  us  our  Heirs  and 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  IO3 

Successors  at  the  Town  of  Reading  in  the  said 
County  at  or  upon  the  first  day  of  March  in  every 
year  one  half  Penny  Sterling  for  every  Acre  of 
the  same  Or  Value  thereof  in  Coin  Current  ac 
count  according  as  the  Exchange  shall  then 
be  between  our  said  Province  and  the  City 
of  London  to  such  Person  or  Persons  as  shall 
from  Time  to  Time  be  appointed  to  receive  the 
same  And  in  Case  of  Nonpayment  thereof  within 
ninety  Days  next  after  the  same  shall  become  due 
That  then  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  us  our 
Heirs  and  Successors  our  and  their  Receiver  or 
Receivers  into  and  upon  the  hereby  granted  Land 
&  Premises  to  Reenter  &  the  same  to  hold 
and  possess  until  the  said  Quitrent  and  all  ar 
rears  thereof  Together  with  the  Charges  accruing 
by  means  of  such  Nonpayment  &  Reentry  be  fully 
paid  and  discharged  WITNESS  John  Penn  Esquire 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  said  Province  Who  by 
Virtue  of  certain  Powers  &  Authorities  to  him  for 
this  Purpose  inter  alia,  granted  by  the  said  Propri 
etaries  hath  hereunto  set  his  Hand  and  caused 
the  Great  Seal  of  the  said  Province  to  be  here 
unto  affixed  at  Philadelphia  this  seventh  day  of 
lune  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  sixty  five  The  Fifth  Year  of  the 
Reign  of  King  George  the  Third  over  Great  Brit 
ain  &c  and  the  Forty  seventh  year  of  the  said 
Proprietaries  Government  lohn  Penn  (L.  S.)  Re 
corded  the  loth  day  of  lune,  1765. 

A  very  important  deed,  dated  November  8,  1748, 


IO4  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

in  which  John  Lincoln  conveys  his  land  in  New  Jer 
sey  to  William  Dye,  gives  us  much  valuable  infor 
mation,  showing  that  he  was  the  son  of  Mordecai, 
the  elder,  of  Exeter,  and  a  weaver  by  trade,  then 
living  in  Caenarvon,  Lancaster  County,  Pennsyl 
vania  : 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  eighth  day  of  No 
vember  in  the  twentyeth  second  year  of  the 
Reigne  of  our  Soveraigne  Lord  George  the  Sec 
ond  of  Great  Brittain  france  and  Ireland  King 
Defender  of  the  faith  &c  in  the  Year  of  Our 
Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty 
eight  Between  John  Lincon  of  the  Township  Car- 
narvin  in  the  County  of  Lancaster  and  Province 
of  Penselvania  weaver  the  son  and  Heir  of  Mor 
decai  Lincon  deceased  of  the  one  part  and  Wil 
liam  Dye  of  the  County  of  Middlesex  yeoman  of 
the  other  Part  Witnesseth  that  the  said  John 
Lincon  for  and  in  Consideration  of  the  Sum  of 
Two  hundred  pounds  current  money  of  New  Jer 
sey  at  eight  shillings  p  ounce  to  me  in  hand  paid 
by  him  the  said  William  Dye  the  receipt  whereof 
he  the  said  John  Lincon  doth  hereby  acknowledge 
and  himself  to  be  therewith  satisfied  contented  & 
paid  and  thereof  and  of  and  from  every  part  and 
parsal  thereof  cloth  fully  clearly  and  absolutely 
acquit  exonerate  and  discharge  him  the  said  Wil 
liam  Dye  his  Heirs  Executors  Administrators  and 
assigns  for  ever  Hath  Granted  bargained  Sold 
aliened  Convaid  and  Confirmed  unto  him  the  said 
William  Dye  and  to  his  Heirs  and  assigns  forever 
All  that  Tract  of  Land  scituate  lying  and  being  in 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  1 05 

the  said  County  of  Middlesex  Beginning  where 
the  Land  formerly  Walter  Benthals  crosses 
Crarnberry  brook  from  thence  along  said  Ben 
thals  line  towards  the  Post  Road  to  the  Land  for 
merly  Robert  Burnets  And  from  thence  along 
said  Burnets  line  in  breadth  so  far  that  a  parallel 
line  to  the  foresaid  line  of  Benthels  from  the  said 
Burnets  line  to  said  Cranberry  brook  do  contain 
three  hundred  acres  thence  along  the  course  of 
said  Benthals  line  to  Cranberry  brook  and  from 
thence  down  the  Brook  to  where  it  began  Bound 
ed  Westerly  by  the  Land  formerly  said  Benthals 
Northerly  by  Land  formerly  Robert  Burnets 
Easterly  by  Land  formerly  belonging  to  Herricon 
and  Southerly  by  Cranberry  brook  with  all  and 
all  manner  of  Houses  Building  [s]  Mines  Minerals 
and  Appurtenances  and  previliges  whatsoever  of 
him  the  said  John  Lincon  as  well  in  Law  as  in 
Equity  of  in  or  unto  the  said  three  hundred  acres 
of  Land  with  the  Reversion  and  Reversions  Re 
mainders  of  the  Same  To  Have  and  to  Hold  the 
aforesaid  Three  hundred  acres  of  Land  with  all 
the  bargained  Premises  with  the  Appurtenances 
unto  him  the  said  William  Dye  his  Heirs  and 
assigns  for  ever  to  the  only  proper  use  benefit 
and  behoof  of  him  the  said  William  Dye  his 
Heirs  and  assigns  And  he  the  said  John  Lincon 
for  himself  his  Heirs  Executors  and  administra 
tors  by  these  Presents  in  manner  following  viz 
That  he  the  said  John  Lincon  at  the  time  of  the 
Sealing  &  Delivering  hereof  hath  in  himself 
good  Right  full  Power  and  lawful  Authority  to 


IO6  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Grant  bargain  Sell  Convey  the  said  Three  hun 
dred  acres  of  Land  unto  the  said  William  Dye  in 
manner  as  aforesaid  and  that  the  same  is  and  shall 
continue  free  and  clear  from  all  incumbrances 
whatsoever  and  will  Warrant  secure  and  Defend 
the  said  William  Dye  his  Heirs  and  assigns  for 
ever  In  Witness  Whereof  I  have  hereunto  Set 
my  hand  and  Seal  the  day  and  year  abovesaid. 
John  Lincon  (L:  S)  Signed  Sealed  and  Deliv 
ered  in  Presence  of  us  John  Brainerd,  Ebenezer 
Hayward  Memorandum  that  on  the  24th  day  of 
May  1750  John  Lincon  party  to  the  within  writ 
ten  Instrument  appeared  before  me  Andrew  John 
son  one  of  His  Majesty's  Council  for  the  Prov 
ince  of  New  Jersey  and  acknowledged  that  he 
executed  the  same  as  his  voluntary  act  and  Deed 
of  the  therein  mentioned  Andw  Johnson 

The  name  of  John  Lincoln  appears  in  the  early 
tax  lists  of  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  as  the  fol 
lowing  assessments  will  show : 

£  i     s.  d.     Township 

1754  John  Lincorn           38  96  Union 

1758  John  Lincoln  6  i  6  Amity 
1758  John  Lincoln 

Nov  29  1758           4  6  Amity 
(Special  Assessment) 

1758  John  Lincoln            10  15  Union 

1759  Linckcoln  John       10  15  Union 
1759  Lincoln  John  i  Amity 

(Single  Man) 
1759  Lincoln  John  6          9  Amity 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  1 07 

1760  Lincoln,  John  12  Union 

1760  Lincoln  [John?]  8  12  Amity 

1760  Lincoln  [John?]  13  19  6           Union 

1761  Lincoln  Jn°.  12  3 

[married  men] 

1762  Lincoln  John  16  4  Amity 

1762  Lincoln  John  8         12  Amity 

1763  Lincoln  John  16  4  Amity 

1763  Lincoln  John  13         19      6  Amity 

1764  Lincoln  John  17  43  Amity 

1765  Lincoln  John  13  96  Amity 

Although  John  Lincoln  is  mentioned  in  the  land 
papers  as  weaver  by  trade,  he  had  other  forms  of 
occupation.  The  following  receipt,  dated  June  10, 
1754,  shows  that  he  was  engaged  in  the  business  of 
hauling,  at  least  at  times : 

Reed  from  Aquila  Jones  Sepr.  i9th  1753  one 
Ton  Pigmetal  wch  J  promice  to  Deliver  to 
Mr.  Sam11  Seely  at  his  forge  on  acct  of  Jno 
Potts  Esqr 

Witness 

Jn°  Sullivan  John  Lincon 

There  are  a  number  of  records  of  land  transac 
tions  by  John  Lincoln  in  the  land  papers  of  Berks 
County,  as  the  following  will  show : 

Grantee  John  Lincoln,  June  13,  1748,  Grantor  John  Loyd 
and  wife,  Robeson,  Lane.  Co.,  book  8,  page  400. 


IO8  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Grantor  John  Lincoln,  May  17,  1763,  Grantee  Jacob 
Redcay,  Robeson,  book  8,  page  402. 

Grantee  John  Lincoln,  June  14,  1763,  Grantor  John  Camp 
bell,  Amity,  book  4,  page  319. 

Grantor  John  Lincoln,  May  20,  1765,  Grantee  Henry  Leer, 
Amity,  book  4,  page  323. 

Grantee  John  Lincoln,  May  27,  1765,  Grantors  William 
Boone,  Jeremiah  Boone,  book  4,  page  321. 

Grantor  John  Lincoln,  June  13,  1765,  Grantee  Jacob 
Redcay,  Union,  book  8,  page  404. 

According  to  these  deeds,  John  Lincoln  and  Re 
becca,  his  wife,  disposed  of  their  important  tracts  of 
land  between  1763  and  1765,  as  follows: 

1.  They  sold  to  Jacob  Redcay,  May  17,  1763,  120 
acres  of  the  land  granted  to  John  Lincoln  by  the  Pro 
prietary  authority  June  13,  1748,  for  the  sum  of 
300  pounds. 

2.  They  sold  to  Henry  Lear,  May  20,  1765,  one 
tract  of   125  acres  and  another  of  36  acres  for  4 
pounds  per  acre. 

3.  They  sold  to  the  aforesaid  Jacob  Redcay,  June 
13,  1765,  50  acres  and  49  perches  for  the  sum  of 
1 20  pounds. 

Thus  they  sold  altogether  331  acres  and  49  perches 
of  land  for  the  sum  of  794  pounds  in  all,  during 
these  two  years. 

Meanwhile  John  Lincoln  had  bought  of  John 
Campbell,  of  Amity  township,  36  acres  of  land  for 
100  pounds,  and  of  William  and  Jeremiah  Boone, 
sons  and  executors  of  George  Boone,  of  Exeter,  125 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  IOQ 

acres  for  the  sum  of  160  pounds.  Thus  he  had  in 
vested  during  those  two  years  260  pounds  in  land 
and  realized  794  pounds  from  sales  of  land,  leaving 
a  net  cash  balance  of  534  pounds. 

It  is  significant  that  the  name  of  John  Lincoln 
disappears  from  the  Berks  County  records  about 
1765.  The  question  naturally  arises:  What  became 
of  him?  The  answer  to  this  question  is  easily  found 
in  the  land  records  of  Virginia.  An  original  deed 
found  in  the  Recorder's  Office  of  Staunton,  Vir 
ginia,  and  dated  June  21,  1768,  furnishes  the  desired 
information : 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  twenty  first  day  of 
June  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  sixty  eight  BETWEEN  Zachariah  and 
Lydia  Moses  (Mases?)  and  Mary  McKoy  [Mc 
Kay?]  their  wifes  [sic]  Robert  and  James  McKoy 
[McKay?]  of  the  County  of  Fredrick  and  Colony 
of  Virginia  of  the  one  part  and  John  Lincon  of 
the  County  of  augusta  and  Colony  aforesaid  of 
the  other  part — witnesseth  that  the  said  Zacha 
riah  and  Lydia  Moses  and  Mary  McKay  for  and 
in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  five  shillings  cur 
rent  money  of  Virginia  unto  them  in  hand  paid 
by  the  said  John  Lincon  at  or  before  the  sealing 
and  Delivery  of  these  Presents  the  Receipt  where 
of  is  hereby  acknowledged  hath  granted  Bar 
gained  and  sold  and  by  these  Presents  doth  grant 
bargain  and  sell  unto  the  said  John  Lincon  a  tract 
of  Land  containing  six  hundred  acres  more  or 
Less  lying  and  being  in  the  County  of  Augusta 


IIO  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

on  Linwils  Creek  being  a  Parcel  of  twelve  hun 
dred  acres  granted  by  Patent  to  McCoy  Duff 
Green  and  Hite  by  Patent  Bearing  date  the  twen 
ty  six  day  of  March  1739  and  by  them  convey  to 
Robert  McKay  by  Deeds  of  Lease  and  Release 
dated  the  nineteenth  and  2Oth  days  of  June 
MDCC46  and  recorded  in  the  County  Court  of 
Augusta  and  by  the  said  Robert  McKay  &c  and 
devised  to  the  aforesaid  Zachariah  McKay  and 
Lydia  Moses  and  Mary  McKay  their  wifes  [sic] 
by  his  Last  will  and  Testament  Bearing  Date  the 
day  of  MDCC  duely  Proved  and 

Recorded  in  the  County  Court  of  Augusta  the 
said  tract  being  bounded  as  followeth  to  wit  BE 
GINNING  at  a  Black  oak  the  south  side  of  a  ridge 
corner  to  Tunis  Vanpelt  Land  in  original  line  N°. 
54°.  W.  662  Poles  containuing  that  cost  to  the 
Origenial  [sic]  Line  thence  N°.  37°  degs.  Et.  108 
poles  to  Bonians  Line  in  the  Original  line 
thence  S°.  26°  W.  80  Poles  to  an  off  set  in  the 
Original  Line  Running  thence  with  the  said  Line 
S°.  39°  W.  108  Poles  to  the  Place  of  BEGINNING 
and  all  houses  Orchards  ways  Waters  Water 
courses  profits  commodities  hereditaments  and 
appurtenances  whatsoever  to  the  said  Premises 
hereby  granted  or  any  part  thereof  belonging  or 
in  anywise  appertaining  and  the  Reversion  and 
Reversions  Remainder  and  Remainders  rents  Is 
sues  and  Profits  thereof  TO  have  and  to  hold  the 
said  six  hundred  acres  more  or  Less  of  Land  and 
all  and  singular  other  the  Premises  is  hereby 
granted  with  the  appurtenances  unto  the  said  John 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  III 

Lincon  and  his  Executors  and  administrators  and 
assigns  from  the  day  before  the  date  hereof  for 
and  During  the  full  term  and  time  of  one  whole 
year  from  thence  next  ensuing  fully  to  be  com 
plete  and  ended  YIELDING  and  Paying  therefore 
the  rent  of  one  pepper  on  Lady  day  next 

if  the  same  shall  be  Lawfully  Demanded  to  the 
Intent  and  purpose  that  by  Virtue  of  these  Pres 
ents  and  of  the  statute  for  transferring  uses  into 
Possession  the  said  John  Lincon  may  be  in  actual 
Possession  of  the  Premises  and  to  be  thereby  en 
abled  to  accept  and  take  a  grant  and  Release  of 
the  Reversion  and  Inheritance  thereof  to  him  and 
his  heirs  IN  WITNESS  whereof  the  said  Zachariah 
and  Lydia  Moses  and  Mary  McCoy  their  wifes 
Roberd  and  James  McCoy  hath  hath  hereunto  set 
their  hands  and  seals  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written. 

Zachariah  McKay.       (L.  S.) 
Moses  McKay.  (L.  S.) 

Robert  McKay.  (L.  S.) 

James  McKay  (L.  S.) 

Sealed  and  Delivered 
in  the  Presence  of 
Michael  Waren. 

his 
John  [8]  Jackson. 

mark 
John  Poage. 

At  a  Court  held  for  Augusta  County  August  the 
i6th,  1768. 

This  Lease  from  Zachariah  McKay  Robert  Me- 


112  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Kay  Moses  McKay  and  James  McKay  to  John 
Lincon  was  Proved  by  the  oaths  of  the  Witnesses 
thereto  and  Ordered  to  be  Recorded. 

Test    John  Madison 

Copied  from  Deed  Book  No.  15  Page  50 
Clerk's  Office  of  the  Circuit  Court  for  Augusta 
County,  Virginia. 

Harry  Burnett,  Clerk. 

[The  record  shows  that  the  sum  of  £250  was 
paid.  The  forms  of  the  name  'McKay'  and  'Mc- 
Koy'  (as  written  at  the  beginning  of  the  deed) 
are,  of  course,  identical.] 

It  is  clear  from  the  deed  that  John  Lincoln  had 
migrated  to  Virginia  between  the  years  1765  and 
1768.  The  fact  that  the  signatures  of  John  Lincoln 
and  the  mark  of  Rebecca  Lincoln,  his  wife,  are 
identical  in  the  land  documents  of  Berks  County, 
Pennsylvania  and  in  those  of  Augusta  County,  Vir 
ginia,  leaves  no  possible  doubt  of  the  identity  of  the 
persons  themselves.  The  signature  of  John  Lincoln 
in  the  Virginia  deed  of  1773  is  very  poor,  but  never 
theless  legible.  By  an  omission  easily  explained,  the 
usual  mark  or  sign  of  Rebecca's  "mark"  was  not 
affixed  to  the  document  here  reproduced,  but  that  her 
signature  was  certified  to  is  indicated  in  the  re 
corded  deed.  It  was  our  good  fortune  to  find  a  par 
ticularly  good  specimen  of  John  Lincoln's  signature 
in  an  old  receipt  found  in  the  collections  of  Ex-Gov 
ernor  Pennypacker,  who  generously  allowed  it  to  be 
reproduced  in  this  work.  In  the  light  of  these  docu- 


DEED  OF  JOHN  AND  REBECCA  LINCOLN  TO  ISAAC  LINCOLN,  CONVEYING 
LAND  ON  LINVILLE'S  CREEK  IN  1773. 


DEED  OF  JOHN  AND  REBECCA    LINCOLN  TO  ISAAC  LINCOLN,  CONVEYING 
LAND  ON  LINVILLE'S  CREEK  IN  1773. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  113 

ments,  the  current  statement  that  John  Lincoln  went 
to  Virginia  to  settle  about  1750,  at  the  time  when 
Daniel  Boone  left  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  for 
the  South,  must  be  considered  incorrect.  Never 
theless,  it  was  in  the  track  of  Daniel  Boone  that 
John  Lincoln  found  his  way  to  Virginia  and  the 
tradition  that  Daniel  Boone  stopped  for  a  time  on 
Linvill's  Creek  in  Augusta  (now  Rockingham) 
County,  Virginia,  doubtless  reflects  important  his 
tory  in  connection  with  the  migration  from  Penn 
sylvania  to  Virginia.  Moreover,  the  intimate  rela 
tions  of  the  Lincolns  and  the  Boones  in  Berks 
County,  Pennsylvania,  give  us  the  motive  for  such 
migration  at  this  time. 

The  land  records  of  Virginia  show  also  how  John 
Lincoln  distributed  his  land  in  Augusta  County  to 
his  sons.  In  the  following  deed,  dated  August  12, 
1773,  he  conveys  to  his  son,  Isaac  Lincoln,  215  acres 
of  his  600  acre  purchase  of  1768,  as  the  text  of  the 
document  will  show : 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  Twelfth  day  of 
August  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  Seventy  three  Between  John 
Lincoln  and  Rebeca  his  wife  of  Augusta  County 
&  Colony  of  Virginia  of  the  one  part  and  Isaac 
Lincoln  of  the  County  and  Colony  aforesaid  of 
the  other  Part  Witnesseth  that  for  and  in  consid 
eration  of  the  sum  of  Twenty  Pounds  Current 
mony  of  Virginia  to  the  said  John  Lincoln  in  hand 
Paid  by  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln  at  or  before  the 


114  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Sealing  &  delivering  of  these  Presents  the  receipt 
he  doth  hereby  Acknowledge  &  thereof  doth  re 
lease  acquit  and  Discharge  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln 
his  Executors  &  Administrators  by  these  Presents 
that  the  said  John  Lincoln  Hath  Granted  Bar 
gained  sold  Aliened  released  and  Confirmed  & 
by  these  Presents  doth  Grant  Bargain  Sell  Alien 
release  &  Confirm  unto  the  sd.  Isaac  Lincoln  (in 
his  Actuall  Possession  now  being  by  virtue  of  a 
Bargain  and  Sale  to  him  thereof  made  by  the 
said  John  Lincoln  &  Rebecca  his  wife  for  one 
whole  year  by  Indenture  bearing  date  the  day 
next  before  the  day  of  the  date  of  these  Presents 
and  by  force  of  the  Statute  for  Trans fering  uses 
into  Possession/  and  his  heirs  one  Certain  Tract 
or  Parcel  of  Land  Containing  215  acres  Lying 
and  being  in  the  County  of  Augusta  on  Lenvels 
Creek  being  Part  of  Twelve  Hundred  acres 
Granted  to  McKay  Duff  Green  and  Hite  by  Pat- 
tent  Bearing  date  the  26th.  day  of  March  1739 
and  was  by  them  Conveyed  to  Robert  McKay  by 
deeds  of  Lease  and  Release  Bearing  date  the  iQth. 
and  2Oth.  days  of  June  1746  &  recorded  in  the 
County  Court  of  Augusta  &  was  by  the  said  Rob 
ert  McKay  Devised  to  Zachariah  McKay  Mosses 
McKay  Robert  McKay  and  James  McKay  by  his 
Last  will  and  Testament  dated  the  7th.  day  of 
Octobed  1746  and  recorded  in  the  County  Court 
of  Augusta  and  Six  hundred  Acres  Part  of  the 
Twelve  hundred  acres  was  Conveyed  by  the  said 
Zachariah  McKay  and  Lydia  his  wife  Mosses 
McKay  and  Mary  his  wife  Robert  McKay  and 


AN  AMERICAN   MIGRATION  115 

James  McKay  unto  the  [said]  John  Lincoln  by 
deeds  of  Lease  and  release  bearing  date  the  2ist. 
and  22nd.,  days  of  June,  1768  and  recorded  in  the 
County  Court  of  Augusta  and  Bounded  as  follow- 
eth,  to  wit : — Beginning  at  a  Black  and  white  oake 
Saplings  on  the  old  line  Corner  to  his  Brother  Ab 
rahams  Land  &  thence  south  31  degrees  west  16 
poles  to  2  white  oake  Saplins  thence  south  54 
degrees  east  240  Poles  to  the  Creek  a  Marked 
walnutt  a  Corner  to  the  said  Abrahams  Land 
north  86  degrees  east  13  poles  Crossing  the  Creek 
to  2  Locusts  thence  North  39  degrees  8  poles  to 
a  Black  and  white  oak  Saplins  south  62  degrees 
East  360  Poles  to  a  Black  oak  Saplin  on  the  old 
Line  north  60  degrees  east  5  poles  to  2  white  oaks 
an  old  Corner  thence  north  22  degrees  east  & 
80  poles  to  2  white  oaks  thence  north  65^  de 
grees  west  360  poles  to  the  Creek  &  the  same 
Course  252  poles  to  the  Beginning  and  all  houses 
Buildings  Orchards  ways  water  water  Courses 
Profits  Commodities  Hereditaments  and  Appur 
tenances  whatsoever  to  the  said  Premises  hereby 
Granted  or  and  Part  thereof  Belonging  or  in 
any  wise  appertaining  and  the  reversion  and 
reversions  Remainder  and  Remainders  Rents 
Issues  &  Profits  thereof  and  also  all  the  es 
tate  right  title  Interest  use  Trust  Property  Claim 
and  demand  and  whatsoever  of  them  the  said 
John  Lincoln  and  Rebeca  his  wife  of  in  and  to 
the  said  Premises  and  all  deeds  Evidences  & 
writings  touching  or  in  any  wise  Concerning  the 
same  To  have  and  To  hold  the  Lands  hereby  Con- 


Il6  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

veyed  and  all  and  Singular  other  the  Premises 
hereby  Granted  &  released  and  every  Part  and 
Parcel  thereof  with  their  and  every  of  their  Ap 
purtenances  unto  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln  his  heirs 
and  Assigns  forever  To  the  only  proper  use  and 
Behoof  of  him  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln  his  heirs 
and  Assigns  forever  and  the  said  John  Lincoln 
and  Rebeca  his  wife  for  themselves  there  heirs 
Executors  and  Administrators  doth  Covenant 
Promise  &  Grant  to  and  with  the  said  Isaac  Lin 
coln  his  heirs  and  Assigns  by  these  Presents  that 
the  said  John  Lincoln  and  Rebeca  his  wife  now 
at  The  time  of  Sealing  and  Delivering  of  these 
Presents  is  Seized  of  a  good  sure  Perfect  and 
Indefeasible  estate  of  Inheritance  in  fee  Simple 
of  and  in  the  Premises  hereby  Granted  and  re 
leased  and  that  they  have  Good  Power  and  Law 
ful  and  Absolute  Authority  to  Grant  and  Convey 
the  same  to  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln  in  Manner  and 
form  aforesaid  and  that  the  said  Premises  now 
are  and  so  forever  hereafter  shall  remain  and  be 
free  and  Clear  of  and  from  all  former  and  other 
Gifts  Grants  Bargains  sales  Dower  rights  and 
title  of  dower  Judgments  Executions  Titles 
Troubles  Charges  and  Encumbrances  whatsoever 
made  done  Committed  or  suffered  by  the  said 
John  Lincoln  &  Rebeca  his  wife  or  any  other  Per 
son  or  Persons  whaostever  [sic]  (the  Quit  Rents 
hereafter  to  Grow  due  and  Payable  to  our  Sover 
eign  Lord  the  king  his  heirs  and  Successors  for 
and  in  Respect  of  the  Premises  only  excepted  and 
Foreprized)  AND  LASTLY  that  the  said  John  Lin- 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  II/ 

coin  &  Rebeca  his  Wife  and  there  heirs  all  and  Sin 
gular  the  Premises  hereby  Granted  &  Released  with 
the  Appurtenances  unto  the  said  Isaac  Lincoln 
his  heirs  and  Assigns  against  them  the  said  John 
Lincoln  and  Rebeca  his  Wife  and  their  heirs  & 
all  and  every  other  Person  &  Persons  whatsoever 
shall  warrant  and  forever  defend  by  these  Pres 
ents  In  witness  whereof  the  said  John  Lincoln 
and  Rebeca  his  wife  have  hereunto  set  their  hands 
and  Seals  the  day  and  year  first  Written. 

John  Lincoln,  (L.  S.) 

her 

Rebeckah  R.  Lincoln,     (L.  S.) 
mark 

Signed  Sealed  &  Delivered — 
In  the  Presence  of — 
Josiah  Davison 

his 
Cornelius  [B]  Briant 

mark 
her 

Ann  (.)  Briant. 
mark 

At  a  Court  held  for  Augusta  County  August  the 

iTth.,  1773- 

This  Release  for  Land  from  John  Lincoln  and 
Rebecah  his  wife  to  Isaac  Lincoln  was  Proved 
by  the  Oaths  of  the  witnesses  thereto  and  Ordered 
to  be  Recorded. 

Teste     John  Madison 

A  copy    Teste :  Harry  Burnett,  Clerk. 


Il8  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  OF  VIRGINIA  AND  KENTUCKY. 

Turning  now  to  John  Lincoln's  son,  Abraham,  the 
grandfather  of  President  Lincoln,  we  find  him  also 
carrying  on  extensive  land  transactions  in  Augusta 
County,  Virginia,  and  later  in  Kentucky.  In  addi 
tion  to  his  land  mentioned  in  the  deed  to  Isaac  Lin 
coln,  his  brother,  given  above,  he  buys  additional 
land.  In  a  deed  dated  September  6,  1779,  he  buys 
of  Holten  Munsey  and  Else,  his  wife,  a  tract  of  52 
acres  of  land  for  500  pounds : 

This  Indenture  Made  the  sixth  day  of  Sep 
tember  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
and  Seven  Hundred  and  Seventy  Nine  Between 
Holten  Muncey  and  Eles  [Else?]  his  Wife  of  the 
County  of  Rockingham  and  the  State  of  Virginia 
of  the  one  part  and  Abraham  Lincoln  of  the  County 
Afore  Said  and  the  State  of  Virginia  of  the  Other 
Part  WITNESSETH  that  for  and  in  Consideration 
of  the  sum  of  five  Hundred  Pounds  Current 
Money  of  Virginia  in  hand  Paid  to  the  said  Hol 
ten  Muncey  and  his  Wife  by  the  said  Abraham 
Lincoln  at  Or  before  the  Sealing  and  Delivery 
of  these  Presents  the  Receipt  whereof  they  Doth 
hereby  Acknowledge  and  thereof  doth  Release 
Acquit  and  discharge  the  Said  Abraham  Lincoln 
his  heirs  and  assigns  by  these  presents  he  the 
Said  Holten  Muncey  hath  granted  Bargined  Sold 
Aliened  and  Confirmed  and  by  these  Presents 
doth  grant  Bargain  Sell  Alien  and  Confirme  rent 


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>^.f  ^  s  *  ^  ^  *  i 


EU 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION 


[unto?]  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  his  heirs  and 
Assigns  for  Ever  one  Sertain  tract  or  Parsel  of 
land  Containing  fifty  two  Acres  lying  and  being 
on  Linvils  Creek  in  the  County  of  Rockingham 
and  Bounded  as  followeth  Viz  Begining  at  a  white 
Oak  on  Said  Lincolns  Line  thence  Crossing  the 
tract  S.  42  W.  104  poles  to  A  white  Oak  thence 
S.  E.  34  Poles  to  A  wite  [sic]  Oak  tree  and  two 
Saplins  thence  N.  76  E.  76  Poales  to  a  Locast 
Steak  thence  S.  52  E.  41  Poales  to  a  Locast  stake 
thence  North  36  E  55  Poales  to  2  Small  hickeries 
thence  with  the  old  Line  to  the  Beginning  Corner 
Containing  fifty  two  Accres  Be  the  Same  More 
or  Less  Being  formerly  Convaid  to  the  Said  Hoi- 
ten  Muncey  by  Tunis  Vanpelt  and  Thomas  Bri- 
ant  by  Deeds  of  Leas  and  Releas  dated  -- 
the  said  tract  of  Land  being  Part  of  A  larger 
Tract  of  Seven  thousand  and  Nine  Acres  Granted 
to  Jost  Kite  Robert  McCoy  Robert  Green  and 
William  Duff  By  Patent  Bearing  Date  the  twenty 
Six  day  of  March  1739  and  all  houses  Buildings 
orchards  Ways  waters  water  Corses  profits  Com 
modities  Hereditaments  and  Appurtenance  What 
soever  to  the  Said  Premises  hereby  Granted  or 
Any  Part  Thereof  Belonging  to  or  in  Any  Wise 
Apertaining  and  the  Reversion  and  Reversions 
Remainder  and  Remainders  Rents  Issues  and 
Profits  there  of  and  also  all  the  Estate  Right  Title 
Use  Trust  Profit  or  Claim  or  demand  Whatso 
ever  of  him  the  Said  Holten  Muncey  of  In  and  to 
the  Said  Premises  and  all  Deeds  Evidences  and 
Writings  Touching  or  in  Any  Wise  Concerning 
the  same  to  have  and  to  hold  the  Lands  hereby 
Conveyed  and  all  and  Singular  other  the  prem- 


120  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

ises  hereby  bargained  and  Sold  and  every  part 
and  parcel  thereof  with  their  and  every  part  of 
their  appurtenances  unto  the  said  Abraham  Lin 
coln  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  to  the  only 
proper  use  and  Behoof  of  him  the  said  Abraham 
Lincoln  &  of  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  and 
the  said  Holton  Muncey  and  Alee  [=Elsi]  his 
wife  for  themselves  their  heirs  and  assigns  by 
these  presents  that  Holton  Muncey  [and]  Alee  his 
wife  now  at  the  Time  of  Sealing  and  Delivering  of 
these  presents  is  Seized  of  a  good  Sure  perfect  and 
Indefeasable  Estate  of  Inheritance  in  Fee  simple 
of  and  in  the  said  premises  hereby  granted  and 
that  they  have  good  power  Law  full  and  absolute 
Right  and  Authority  to  grant  and  Convey  the 
same  to  the  said  Abraham  Lincoln  in  manner 
and  form  aforesaid  and  that  the  premises  now 
are  &  so  forever  hereafter  shall  Remain  and  be 
free  and  Clear  of  and  from  all  others  and  former 
gifts  grants  Bargains  Sales  Dower  Right  and 
Title  of  Dower — Judgments  Executions  Titles 
Troubles  Charges  and  Incumbrances  Whatsoever 
Made  Done  Committed  or  Suffered  by  the  Said 
Holton  Muncey  or  Alee  his  Wife  or  any  other 
person  or  persons  Whatsoever  (The  Assessment 
hereafter  to  grow  Due  and  payable  to  the  Collec 
tor  for  the  time  being  for  the  use  of  the  Common 
wealth  of  Virginia)  for  and  in  Respect  of  the 
premises  only  Excepted  and  and  [sic]  foreprized 
and  the  said  Holton  Muncey  and  Alee  his  wife  and 
their  heirs  and  all  and  Singular  the  premises  here 
by  granted  with  their  appurtenances  unto  the  said 
Abraham  Lincoln  his  heirs  and  assigns  against 
them  the  said  Holton  Muncey  and  Alee  his  Wife 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  121 

and  their  heirs  and  all  and  every  other  person  or 
persons  Whatsoever  Shall  and  Will  Warrant  and 
forever  defend  by  these  presents  and  Lastly  that 
the  said  Holton  Muncey  and  Alee  his  Wife  and 
their  heirs  and  every  other  person  or  persons  and 
their  heirs  anything  Having  and  Claiming  in  the 
premises  herein  before  Mentioned  or  Intended  to 
be  hereby  Bargained  and  sold  shall  and  Will  from 
time  to  time  and  at  all  times  hereafter  at  the 
Reasonable  request  and  at  the  proper  Costs  and 
Charges  in  the  Law  of  him  the  Said  Abraham 
Lincoln  his  heirs  or  assigns  make  do  and  execute 
or  procure  to  be  made  done  and  executed  all  and 
every  such  farther  and  other  Reasonable  Act  and 
Acts  thing  or  things  conveyances  assurances  for 
their  Better  and  more  effectual  conveying  and 
assuring  the  premises  afforesaid  with  their  and 
every  of  their  apurtenances  unto  the  said  Abra 
ham  Lincoln  his  heirs  and  assigns  as  by  the  said 
Abraham  Lincoln  his  heirs  or  assigns  or  their 
Council  Learned  in  the  Law  shall  be  Reasonably 
advised  Devised  or  Required.  In  Witness  where 
of  the  said  Holton  Muncey  and  Alee  his  Wife 
have  herewith  set  their  hands  and  Seals  the  day 
and  year  first  above  Written. 

holten  Munsey       (Seal) 

her 
Elsi    [X]    Muncy     (Seal) 

mark 

Sealed  and  Delivered 
In  the  presence  of 
John  Heaton 
Chas  Mair 
Jacob  Lincoln 


122  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

At  a  court  held  for  Rockingham  County  the  22 
Day  of  November  1779  This  Deed  of  Bargain  & 
Sale  for  Holton  Muncy  to  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
proved  by  the  Oaths  of  the  witneses  thereto  & 
ordered  to  be  recorded 

Test.  Pet'.  Hog  C.  R.  c. 
Monsey 

to 

Lincoln  No  &  Sale  91 
Recordd  &  Examd 
?  Ervin  C.  R.  C. 

Recorded  in  Burnt  Records 
Deed  Book  No.  O  page  53 
C.  H.  Brunk  D.  C. 

[The  correct  form  of  the  name  in  this  deed 
seems  to  be  'Holten'  although  toward  the  end  of 
the  deed  it  is  written  'Holton.'  It  will  be  noted 
too  that  the  last  name  is  written  'Munsey'  'Mun- 
cey,'  'Muncy.'  In  like  manner  the  wife's  name 
is  written  'Eles,'  'Alee,'  and  'Elsi'  (in  the  signa 
ture).] 

The  next  year,  1780,  we  find  a  most  important 
land  transaction  of  this  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  son 
of  "Virginia  John,"  recorded  in  a  deed  dated  Feb 
ruary  1 8,  1780.  By  this  document  Abraham  Lin 
coln  and  his  wife,  "Batseb"  (Bethsheba),  sell  to 
Michael  Shanks  and  John  Ruef,  also  of  the  same 
county  (now  Rockingham),  250  acres  (part  of  the 
original  purchase  of  John  Lincoln),  for  the  sum  of 
5000  pounds.  This  price  seems  very  high,  but  it 


r  « 
o   »> 

8-n 

S.S 

M 

' 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  123 

must  be  remembered  that  Abraham  Lincoln  paid  half 
that  price  (10  pounds  per  acre)  for  the  52  acres 
bought  the  year  before.  The  text  of  the  deed  fol 
lows: 

THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  Eighteenth  day  of 
Feberuary  [sic]  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty  Between 
Abraham  Lincolen  of  the  County  of  Rockingham 
and  State  of  Virginia  and  Bersheba  [Bethsheba? 
not  Barbara  as  the  deed  book  has  it]  his  wife  of 
the  one  part  and  Michel  shanks  and  John  Reuf 
[Ruef]  of  the  county  and  State  aforesaid  of  the 
other  Part  Witnesseth  that  for  and  in  consid 
eration  of  the  sume  of  five  Thousand  Poundes 
Current  money  of  Virginia  in  hand  paid  unto  the 
said  Abm  Lincolen  By  the  Said  Michel  shanks 
at  or  Before  the  sealing  and  Delivery  of  these 
presents  the  Receipt  whereof  they  doth  hereby 
acknowledge  and  and  thereof  doth  Release 
aquit  and  Discharge  the  Said  Michal  [sic]  shanks 
his  Heirs  and  assigns  by  these  presents  he  the 
said  Abm  Lincolen  hath  Granted  Bargained  Sold 
Alien'd  and  Confirmed  and  by  these  presents 
doth  grant  Bargain  sell  alien  and  Confirm  unto 
the  said  Michal  shanks  and  their  heirs  and  as 
signs  for  ever  one  Certain  Tract  of  Land  Con 
taining  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  Being  a  part 
of  twele  [twelve]  hundred  acres  Granted  to  Mc 
Kay  Duff  Green  and  Hite  By  patent  bearing  Date 
twenty  six  dayes  [sic]  March  1739  and  by  them 
Convey'd  to  Robert  McKay  by  Deeds  of  Lease 
and  Release  bearing  date  the  nineteenth  and 


124  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

twenty  Dayes  of  June  1746  and  by  the  Said  Rob 
ert  McKay  Devised  to  the  afor  said  Zacha- 
riah  mcKay  Moses  McKay  Robert  McKay 
and  the  aforsaid  McKayes  convey  to  John  Lin- 
colen  six  hundred  acres  of  the  forsaid  Land  by 
Deed  of  Lease  and  Realse  [sic?]  bearing  Date 
the  twenty  Second  day  of  June  1768  and  John 
Lincolen  Conveyed  apart  of  this  within  mentioned 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  to  Abraham  Lincolen 
and  Tunis  Vanpelt  Thos  Bryan  and  Holten  Mun- 
cey  Conveyed  the  Rest  the  said  Land  to  abrm 
Lincolen  Lying  and  being  on  the  North  side  of 
Linvils  Creek  Beginning  at  a  Locust  Stake  and 
walnut  stump  on  the  North  side  of  Linvils  Creek 
thence  along  the  old  Line  South  thirty  seven  De 
grees  West  Seventy  Eight  Poles  to  a  black  oak 
corner  to  Tunis  Vanpelt  North  fifty  five  and  a 
half  Degrees  West  one  hundred  and  twenty  four 
poles  to  white  oak  one  [sic]  said  line:  south  forty 
two  Degrees  West  one  hundred  &  four  Poles  to  a 
whit  oak  South  East  thirty  Poles  to  white  oak 
and  two  Sapplins  North  Seventy  six  Degrees 
East  seventy  six  Poles  near  to  a  white  oak  South 
twenty  five  Degrees  East  forty  one  Poles  to  a 
locust  Stake  North  thirty  six  Degrees  East  fifty 
eight  Poles  to  two  smal  Hicorys  south  fifty  five 
YT.  Degrees  East  one  Hundred  and  Thirty  six 
poles  to  the  Creek  near  a  sycemore  [sic]  and 
thorn  thence  down  the  Creek  the  several  courses 
to  a  walnut  to  his  Br  Isaces  [sic]  line  North 
fifty  four  Degrees  West  two  hundred  and 
forty  Poles  to  two  small  white  oak  North  thirty 
one  Degrees  East  sixteen  Poles  to  a  black  oak 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  125 

Saplin  on  the  old  lin  *  *  *  with  all  Houses 
Buildings  orchards  wayes  water  Courses  Profits 
Commoditys  Hereditaments  and  appurtenances 
whatsoever  to  the  Said  Premises  hereby  granted 
or  any  part  thereof  Belonging  or  in  any  wise  ap 
pertaining  and  the  Reversion  and  Reversions 
Remainder  and  Remainders  Rents  Issues  & 
Profits  thereof  and  also  all  the  Estate  Right  Title 
use  Trust  Property  or  Claim  or  Demand  whatso 
ever  of  him  the  Said  Abraham  Lincolen  of  In 
and  to  the  Said  Premises  and  all  Deeds  Evi 
dences  and  writings  Touching  or  In  any  wise 
Concerning  the  same  To  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  the 
land  hereby  conveyed  and  all  and  Singular  other 
the  Premises  hereby  Bargained  and  sold  and  Ev 
ery  Part  and  Parcle  thereof  with  their  and  every 
of  their  appurtenances  unto  the  said  man  Michal 
shanks  His  Heirs  and  assigns  for  Ever  to  the 
only  proper  use  and  Behoof  of  them  Michal 
Shanks  and  of  his  heirs  and  assigns  for  ever  and 
the  Said  Abraham  Lincolen  and  Bashaba  his  wife 
for  them  selves  theire  Heirs  and  assigns  by  these 
Presents  Abm  Lincolen  and  his  wife  at  the  time 
of  the  Sealing  and  Delivery  of  these  Presents 
is  Seized  of  a  good  Sure  Perfect  and  Indefeaz- 
able  Estate  of  Inheritance  In  fee  Simple  of  and 
In  the  said  premises  Hereby  Granted  and  he 
Hath  good  Power  and  Lawfull  and  absolute 
right  and  authority  to  grant  and  Convey  the 
same  to  the  said  Michal  Shanks  In  manner  and 
form  aforsaid  and  that  the  premises  now  are  and 
so  for  ever  hereafter  shall  remain  and  be  free 
and  clear  of  and  from  all  former  and  other  Gifts 


126  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

Grants  Bargains  Sales  rights  titles  of  Dowers 
Dower  Judgments  Executions  Titles  Troubles 
Charges  and  Incumberances  whatsoever  Made 
done  Commited  or  Suffred  By  the  said  Abm 
Lincolen  and  Basheba  his  wife  or  any  other  per 
son  or  persons  whatsoever  the  assement  [assess 
ment]  hereafter  to  grow  dwe  [due]  and  Pay 
able  to  the  Collectors  for  the  Time  being  for  the 
use  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  for  and 
In  Prospect  of  the  Said  Premises  only  Excepted 
and  forprized  and  the  said  Abm  Lincolen  and 
Bathsheba  his  wife  and  theire  Heirs  all  and  sin 
gular  the  Premises  hereby  granted  with  the  ap 
purtenances  unto  the  said  Michal  shanks  His  heirs 
and  assigns  against  them  the  said  Abm  Lincolen 
and  Bathshaba  his  weife  [sic]  and  theire  heirs  and 
all  and  Every  other  Person  [or]  Persons  whatso 
ever  shall  and  will  Warrent  and  for  Ever  Defend 
by  these  Presents  and  Lastly  that  the  said  Abm 
Lincolen  and  Bathshabe  his  weife  and  theire  Heirs 
and  Every  other  Person  or  Persons  and  theire 
Heirs  any  thing  having  and  Claiming  In  the 
Premises  herein  before  mentioned  or  Intended  to 
be  hereby  Bargained  and  sold  shall  and  will  from 
time  to  time  and  at  all  Times  hereafter  at  the 
Reasonable  Request  and  at  the  proper  cost  and 
charges  in  the  Laue  of  them  the  Said  Michal 
shanks  His  heirs  or  assigns  make  do  and  Exe 
cute  or  Procure  to  be  made  done  and  Executed 
all  and  Ewery  such  further  and  other  Reasonable 
Act  and  acts  thing  or  things  Conveyances  and 
assurances  for  theire  further  Better  and  more 
Effectual,  Conveying  and  Assuring  the  Premises 


X    CA3 

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C/5    53 


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AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  127 

aforsaid  with  their  and  Every  of  their  appurten 
ances  unto  the  said  Michal  Shanks  His  Heirs  and 
assigns  as  by  the  said  Abraham  Lincolen  his  heirs 
or  assignes  or  their  councils  Learned  in  the  Laue 
shall  be  Reasonable  advised  Devised  or  Required 
in  Witness  whereof  the  said  Abraham  Lincolen 
and  Bathsheba  his  weufe  [sic]  Hath  Hereunto  set 
theire  hand  and  seal  the  day  &  year  first  above 
written 

Abm  Lincoln 
Batseb  Lincon 
Seal'd  and  Deliver'd 
In  Presence  of 
Charles  Mair 
Solomon  Mathews 
George  Chrisman 

At  a  court  held  for  Rockingham  County  the  26 
Day  of  June  1780  This  Deed  of  Bargain  &  Sale 
from  Abraham  Lincoln  &  Bersheba  his  Wife  to 
Michael  Shanks  was  proved  by  the  Oath  of 
Charles  Mair  &  George  Chrisman  &  by  the  Sol 
emn  affirmation  of  Solomon  Mathews  the  wit 
nesses  thereto  and  ordered  to  be  recorded  by  the 
Court.  Pet'.  Hog  C.  R.  C. 

This  sale  was  made  about  the  time  Abraham  Lin 
coln  purchased  land  in  Kentucky.  The  next  record 
we  have  of  him  is  found  in  the  Land  Office  of  Larue 
County,  Kentucky.  The  original  grant  is  repro 
duced  here  and  shows  the  form  "Linkhorn"  which 
has  given  rise  to  the  theory  of  the  German  origin 
of  Lincoln.  Abraham  Lincoln  soon  went  with  his 


128  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

family,  including  his  son  Thomas,  the  father  of  the 
President,  to  settle  in  Kentucky  (then  a  part  of 
Virginia). 

The  following  additional  land  transactions  of  the 
Lincolns  are  recorded  in  the  deed  books  of  Harrison- 
burg,  Virginia,  before  1802: 

Grantee   Jacob   Lincoln,   Aug.   28,    1778,    Grantor   Tunis 

Vanpelt,  book  OO,  p.  344. 
Grantor    Isaac    Lincoln,    Apr.    24,    1779,    Grantee    John 

Kring  (?),  book  OOO,  p.  345- 
Grantor    Isaac    Lincoln,    Apr.    24,    1779,    Grantee    Philip 

Rimel  (  ?),  book  OOO,  p.  345. 
Grantee    John    Lincoln,    Apr.    28,    1787,    Grantors    John 

Thomas  et  ux.,  book  OO,  p.  362. 
Grantee  John   Lincoln,    Sept.   28,    1790,    Grantor   Robert 

Harrison,  book  OO,  p.  371. 
Grantors  Thomas  Lincoln  et  ux.,  July  25,  1791,  Grantee 

Jacob  Lincoln,  book  OOO,  373. 
Grantee    John    Lincoln,    Apr.    28,    1794,    Grantor    Henry 

Whisler,  book  OO,  p.  25. 
Grantee  John   Lincoln,   June  28,    1796,    Grantors   Henry 

Nave  et  ux.,  book  OO,  p.  160. 
Grantee   John    Lincoln,    Oct.    28,    1796,    Grantor    Jacob 

Casner,  book  OO,  p.  181. 
Grantee  Jacob  Lincoln,  Oct.  16,  1797,  Grantors  Thomas 

Vance  et  ux.,  book  OO,  p.  252. 
Grantee  Jacob  Lincoln,  July  16,  1798,  Grantor  Thomas 

Leach,  book  OO,  p.  298. 
Grantors  John  Lincoln  et  ux.,  June  21,  1801,  Grantee  John 

Raider,  book  OOO,  p.  433. 

The  following  early  epitaphs  were  found  in  the 
old  Lincoln  Burying  Ground  on  Linville  Creek : 

To  the  |  Memory  |  of  |  Jacob  Lincoln  Sr  who 
was  born  on  the  i8th  |   day  of  November  1751 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  I2Q 

and  |  departed  this  life  on  the  |  2Oth  day  of  Feb 
ruary  1822  |  aged  71  years  9  Months  |  and  2  days. 

Sacred  |  to  the  Memory  of  |  John  Lincoln  | 
who  departed  this  life  |  on  the  13th  [  ?]  day  of 
July  1818  |  aged  35  years  |  and  5  months  and  4 
days. 

Abraham  Lincoln  |  Born  March  15  |  1799  | 
Died  June  18.  1851  |  Aged  52  years  2  mo's  |  & 
29  days. 

It  will  thus  appear  that  the  interests  of  the  Lin- 
coins  in  the  Linville  Creek  Region  were  extensive. 
Later  it  was  complicated  by  the  arrival  of  other 
members  of  the  Lincoln  family  from  Pennsylvania. 
Mordecai  Lincoln,  son  of  Mordecai  the  elder  of  Exe 
ter,  settled  in  Union  Township,  Fayette  County,  and 
died  there  in  1812.  Most  of  his  children  seem  to  have 
gone  to  settle  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  Michael 
Lincoln,  the  son  of  Thomas,  son  of  Mordecai,  the 
elder,  of  Exeter,  settled  in  Buffalo  Valley.  Hananiah 
Lincoln,  son  of  Mordecai  of  Exeter,  after  serving  in 
the  1 2th  Pennsylvania  Regiment  in  the  Revolution, 
joined  Daniel  Boone's  settlement  in  Kentucky, 
Sarah  Lincoln,  daughter  of  Mordecai  of  Exeter, 
married  Joshua  Davis,  of  the  Juniata  Valley. 


I3O  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  FORMS  OF  THE  NAME  LINCOLN. 

The  argument  in  support  of  the  theory  that  Abra 
ham  Lincoln  was  sprung  from  a  German  family  by 
the  name  of  Linkhorn  (written  also  Lincorn,  Linck- 
orn,  Linckhorn),  was  based  primarily  upon  this  sup- 
posable  German  form  of  the  name,  and,  secondly, 
upon  the  fact  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  was  descended  from  a  family 
of  that  name  in  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania.  It 
will  now  be  in  place  to  discuss  the  validity  of  this 
argument  in  the  light  of  the  documents  already  pre 
sented  in  the  foregoing  pages. 

The  documents  relating  to  the  Lincoln  family, 
ranging  all  the  way  from  Massachusetts  to  Ken 
tucky,  exhibit  the  following  well  authenticated  forms 
of  the  name  Lincoln.  In  Masachusetts  we  find  "Lin 
coln,"  "Lincoen,"  a  form  in  Abraham  Lincoln's 
direct  line.  In  the  New  Jersey  documents  we  find 
"Lincoln,-'  "Lincon,"  "Lincen,"  "Lincorn,"  Linc- 
korn."  In  Pennsylvania  we  find  "Lincoln,"  "Link- 
coin,"  "Lincolin,"  "Lincorn,"  "Lingorn,"  "Lin- 
korn,"  "Linkoln,"  "Linkoon."  In  Maryland  we 
find  "Lincoln,"  "Lincolne,"  "Linckhorn."  In  Vir 
ginia  we  find  "Lincoln,"  "Lincolen,"  "Lincon."  In 
Kentucky  we  find  "Lincoln,"  "Linkhorn."  Thus 
summing  up  the  important  forms  we  have  the  fol- 


MARRIAGE  CERTIFICATE  OF  THOMAS  LINCOLN  AND  NANCY  HANKS. 
(By  the  Courtesy  of  Col.  R.  T.  Durrett.) 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  13! 

lowing:  Lincoln,  Lincolne,  Lincolen,  Linkcoln, 
Lincon,  Lincoen,  Lincen,  Linckon,  Linkon,  Link- 
hoon,  Linkorn,  Linkhorn.  In  addition  to  these 
forms  of  the  name,  that  of  "Linton"  also  has  been 
considered  as  synonymous  with  "Lincoln,"  but  as 
it  seems,  only  sporadically,  if  at  all. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  name  and  family  of  Lincoln 
have  been  traced  back  to  New  England  and  thence 
back  to  Old  England,  to  the  neighborhood  of  Hing- 
ham,  whence  a  number  of  the  New  England  settlers 
came  to  Massachusetts  and  here  formed  a  settlement, 
which  likewise  was  called  Hingham.  The  name  Lin 
coln  itself  is  one  of  frequent  occurrence  in  English 
records,  and  is  applied  both  to  persons  and  to  places. 
It  is  usually  derived  from  the  two  words  Lind  and 
Colonia,  which  as  a  compound,  under  the  laws  of 
euphonic  change,  would  give  Lincolonia  and  Lin 
colne  or  Lincoln. 

The  correct  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  per 
sistent  form  of  the  name  is  Lincoln.  All  the  other 
forms  are  but  natural  variations  in  the  speech  of  the 
people  or  in  the  orthography  of  the  scribe.  There 
seems  to  be  no  evidence  that  any  of  the  forms  of  the 
name  are  of  German  origin.  The  form  which  gave 
rise  to  the  theory  of  Lincoln's  German  ancestry  was, 
of  course,  Linkhorn  and  its  variations,  which  occur, 
as  we  have  seen,  over  almost  the  entire  territory 
through  which  the  family  migrated. 

In  order  to  make  the  argument  clearer,  let  us  ex 
amine  the  various  forms  of  the  name  and  their  iden- 


132  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

tity,  from  the  philological  point  of  view.  The  form 
Lincolne  explains  itself,  as  a  variant  spelling  quite 
common  in  the  colonial  and  earlier  records.  The 
form  Linkoln  is  simply  a  more  phonetic  spelling 
with  "k"  instead  of  hard  "c."  The  form  Linkolen 
is  the  same  form  with  the  liquid  made  more  vocalic 
by  the  addition  of  an  "e"  before  the  "n,"  which  is 
a  very  common  characteristic  of  the  folkspeech.  The 
form  Lincoln  or  Lincoen  is  simply  a  vocalization  of 
the  liquid  "1,"  which  is  also  a  common  phonetic  phe 
nomenon.  The  forms  Lincon,  Linckon,  Linkon,  all 
represent  the  same  sound  and  exhibit  a  form  of  the 
name  in  which  the  liquid  has  become  silent  and  thus 
dropped  in  the  pronunciation  as  well  as  in  the 
orthography — also  a  well-known  phenomenon  in  the 
folkspeech.  The  pseudo-German  forms,  Linkhorn, 
Linkorn,  Lincorn,  which  seem  to  offer  the  most  diffi 
culty,  are  really  very  simple,  well  authenticated  pho 
netic  changes  which  are  found  in  the  literatures  and 
are  still  going  on  in  the  speech  of  both  Germanic  and 
Romanic  peoples,  namely,  the  simple  interchange  of 
liquids,  in  this  case  the  substitution  of  r  for  /. 
Thus  we  see  that  all  of  the  forms  of  the  name  Lin 
coln  are  natural  variants,  entirely  in  keeping  with  the 
traditions  of  English  speech  and  orthography. 

Having  disposed  of  the  pseudo-German  form  of 
the  name,  let  us  consider  the  occurrence  of  it  outside 
of  the  Lincoln  family.  If  the  presumable  German 
forms,  Linkorn,  Lincorn,  etc.,  were  German,  we 
should  naturally  expect  to  find  them  occurring  as 


MARRIAGE  BOND  AND  CERTIFICATE  OF  THOMAS  LINCOLN. 
(By  Courtesy  of  Col.  R.  T.  Durrett) 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  133 

independent  German  names  in  lists  of  German  set 
tlers  or  in  German  communities,  where  they  could 
not  possibly  be  confused  with  the  English  name  Lin 
coln.  A  diligent  search,  however,  in  the  directories 
of  the  most  German  communities  of  Pennsylvania, 
has  failed  to  produce  a  single  occurrence  of  the 
name,  not  identical  with  that  of  Lincoln.  Neither 
city  directories,  nor  land  papers,  nor  other  local  rec 
ords  seem  to  contain  any  such  German  name. 

That  these  supposed  German  forms  of  the  name 
are  all  clearly  understood  to  be  variations  of  the 
name  Lincoln,  is  amply  attested  and  positively  dem 
onstrated  by  the  documents  themselves,  and  particu 
larly  by  the  signatures,  which  show  that  all  these 
variations  of  the  name  are  identical  with  the  forms 
Lincoln  and  Lincon,  which  often  occur  in  two  or 
three  forms  in  the  same  document.  The  final  incon- 
testible  proof  of  the  identity  of  the  forms  Linkhorn, 
etc.,  with  Lincoln,  etc.,  however,  is  found  in  two  doc 
uments  in  the  land  records.  One  of  these  documents 
is  a  deed  dated  May  26,  1726,  conveying  land  from 
Richard  Salter,  of  New  Jersey,  to  Mordecai  Lincon 
(or  Lincen).  The  document  contains  this  statement 
in  regard  to  the  form  of  the  name  Lincen  or  Lincon : 

John  Anderson  Examined  &  agrees  with  the 
original  the  word  (Lincen)  in  the  IIth  line  under 
lined  was  by  mistake  in  Recording.  John  Terrill 
Reg  (see  p.  26  above). 

This  shows  clearly  the  identification  of  the  form 


134  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

Lincoln,  which  is  the  normal  form  recognized  by  the 
scribe  in  this  document,  and  the  form  Lincen  or 
Li  neon. 

The  other  document  mentioned  above  furnishes 
the  clinching  argument  for  the  identity  of  the  sup 
posed  German  form  of  the  name  with  the  usual 
English  form,  Lincoln.  The  document  in  question 
is  a  deed  recorded  in  City  Hall,  Philadelphia,  bear 
ing  date  April  4,  1794,  and  conveying  land  from 
Philip  Price  and  Hannah,  his  wife,  of  Kingsessing 
Township,  Philadelphia  County,  to  Abraham  Linck- 
horn,  of  the  same  township.  This  document  con 
tains  the  following  notable  passage : 

"N.  B.  The  surname  of  the  second  party  to 
this  Indenture  has  been  mispelled  through  Mis 
information  to  the  Scrivener,  tho  commonly  pro 
nounced  as  it  is  speled  above,  it  is  written 
Lincoln." 

Thus  the  name  Lincoln,  like  the  family,  is  not 
German  but  English.  The  tradition  which  has  taken 
such  a  hold  upon  the  German  American  mind  as  to 
give  rise  even  to  German  poetry  on  Abraham  Lin 
coln  as  a  German,  must  be  considered  as  without 
historic  foundation. 


*&[    eSs/M 


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•-*<•> 

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'.'filM         ///! 


DEED  SHOWING  THE  CORRECT  NAME  OF  "LINCOLN,"  NOT  "LINKHORN." 
(Original  in  City  Hall,  Philadelphia.) 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  135 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   LINCOLN    MIGRATION   TYPICALLY   AMERICAN. 

One  of  the  most  important  results  of  geneological 
research  in  this  country  is,  or  should  be,  the  new 
light  shed  upon  colonization  and  settlement  in 
America  and  the  motives  prompting  migration  to 
new  lands.  It  will  appear  from  the  foregoing  re 
searches  that  the  Lincoln  family  is  one  of  the  most 
typical  and  significant  in  American  history. 

The  motive  prompting  the  migration  of  the  Lin- 
coins  through  the  various  provinces  reflects  in  each 
instance  an  important  fact  in  the  history  of  our 
early  settlements.  In  the  first  movement  of  the  Lin- 
coins  from  Hingham  and  other  parts  of  England, 
they  were  prompted  by  the  widespread  desire  to  seek 
a  more  favorable  sphere  of  activity  in  the  new 
world.  They  formed  part  of  a  larger  company  of 
emigrants  who  acquired  land  in  the  colony  of 
Massachusetts.  It  was  one  of  those  concerted  emi 
grations  from  a  particular  locality  in  the  Old  World 
with  the  purpose  of  making  a  compact  settlement 
in  the  new  land  beyond  the  sea. 

It  can  be  clearly  seen  that  the  Lincoln  family,  like 
most  large  families,  represented  a  variety  of  occu 
pations.  One  was  a  yeoman,  another  a  miller, 
another  a  weaver,  all  alert  to  the  opportunities  of 
improving  their  several  trades  in  the  new  environ- 


136  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

ment.  So  we  have  Thomas  Lincoln,  the  yeoman  or 
husbandman,  Thomas  Lincoln,  the  miller,  Samuel 
Lincoln,  the  weaver,  or  at  least  the  hired-man,  or, 
probably  more  exactly,  the  apprentice  of  a  weaver. 
As  subsequent  events  indicate,  the  blacksmith  trade 
was  doubtless  understood  and  practiced  by  some  of 
the  family. 

It  is  the  trade  and  industry  of  working  iron  which 
seems  to  furnish  a  clue  to  the  motive  of  the  sons  of 
Mordecai  Lincoln  of  Hull  in  their  migration  from 
Massachusetts  to  New  Jersey.  Their  father,  Mor 
decai  of  Hull,  had  already  become  an  important 
factor  in  the  iron  industry  of  Massachusetts,  having, 
as  we  have  seen,  a  considerable  share  in  the  erection 
of  the  iron  works  at  Bound  Brook,  Massachusetts, 
and  having  brought  the  iron  industry  to  the  highest 
point  of  perfection  in  the  colony  at  that  time  by 
building  a  Catalan  forge  for  making  wrought  iron. 
It  is  significant  that  Mordecai  Lincoln  and  Abraham, 
his  brother,  sons  of  Mordecai  of  Hull,  migrated  to 
that  part  of  New  Jersey  in  which  iron  had  been 
found — the  Red  Bank  region — evidently  with  the 
expectation  that  they  might  be  able  to  develop  the 
iron  industry  in  New  Jersey.  In  addition  to 
their  interests  in  iron,  they  naturally  acquired  land 
in  the  new  settlement  and  became  important  land 
owners  as  well  as  ironmongers.  We  find  Mordecai 
Lincoln  mentioned  later  as  ironmonger  in  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  Abraham  we  find  designated  as 
"blacksmith",  in  addition  to  their  occupation  as 
yeomen. 


OLD    LINCOLN 


( By  the  Courtesy  of  Mr.  Thomas  B.   Kirpatrik,  of  Hodgenville,  Ky. ) 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  137 

It  is  therefore,  more  than  a  simple  accident,  or 
coincidence,  that  we  find  Mordecai  Lincoln  taking 
up  land  later  in  the  French  Creek  region,  that  part 
of  Pennsylvania  in  which  the  iron  industry  was 
developing  and  in  which  he  erects  a  forge  and  car 
ries  on  extensive  iron  operations,  thus  deserving  the 
appellation  of  "ironmonger"  in  the  old  deed.  In  the 
case  of  Abraham,  who  settled  in  Springfield  Town 
ship,  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  other  motives 
may  have  operated  to  determine  the  place  of  his 
settlement.  In  the  early  land  records  of  Philadel 
phia  County,  we  find  the  name  Saltar  before  1700, 
showing  that  the  Saltars  had  purchased  land  in 
Pennsylvania.  As  Mordecai  Lincoln  had  married 
Hannah  Saltar,  it  is  quite  likely  that  his  attention, 
as  well  as  that  of  his  brother,  Abraham,  had  been 
directed  by  the  Saltar  connections  to  the  counties  of 
Philadelphia  and  Chester,  and  that  both  might  have 
settled  nearer  Philadelphia  but  for  the  fact  that  Mor 
decai  wished  to  carry  on  the  industry  of  mining  and 
smelting  iron,  and  so  sought  out  the  region  of  iron 
deposits  along  French  Creek. 

In  the  case  of  the  sons  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  the 
elder,  of  Exeter,  Pennsylvania,  son  of  Mordecai  of 
Hull,  Massachusetts,  we  find  some  of  the  old  tradi 
tional  trades  re-appearing,  as  for  example  in  John 
Lincoln,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  land  record  as 
"Weaver",  showing  that  he  had  the  trade  of  the 
great-great  grandfather  Samuel  Lincoln,  the  weaver- 
apprentice  and  immigrant  in  Massachusetts. 


138  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

The  migration  of  the  Lincolns  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Virginia  and  other  parts  of  the  South  and  West, 
reflects  one  of  the  most  important  movements  of 
American  population — the  movement  along  the 
Great  Valley  and  across  the  mountains  into  the 
valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi.  It  is  along 
this  route  that  the  migration  of  the  Lincolns  moved 
from  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania. 

As  early  as  1710,  the  Swiss  and  Palatine  Germans 
under  the  guidance  of  De  Graffenried  settled  at  New 
Bern,  North  Carolina,  but  were  soon  afterward 
attacked  by  the  Indians  and  massacred  or  dispersed. 
The  survivors  took  refuge  in  Virginia  and  formed  a 
settlement  at  Germanna  in  1714.  The  eyes  of  the 
Virginians  had  already  been  opened  a  hundred  years 
before  to  the  excellent  qualities  of  the  German  set 
tlers  as  artisans  and  farmers.  Governor  Spottswood 
now  encouraged  the  Palatines  to  settle  on  his  lands. 
Even  before  1720  the  provincial  council  of  Virginia 
had  devoted  special  attention  to  a  general  plan  of 
settling  Palatines  in  the  uplands  of  Virginia. 

In  this  year,  1720,  John  van  Meter,  a  trader  from 
the  Hudson  River  region  in  New  York,  made  a  pros 
pecting  tour  through  the  South  Branch  region  of 
Virginia.  1727  Isaac  van  Meter,  the  son  of  John, 
visited  the  same  region  of  Virginia.  Meanwhile, 
isolated  settlers  seem  to  have  taken  up  land  in  the 
Valley  of  Virginia.  Adam  Miller  appears  to  have 
settled  there  near  Massanutting  in  1726  or  1727.  In 
the  year  1730,  Isaac  van  Meter,  and  John  his 
brother,  sons  of  the  elder  John,  received  patents  of 


AN    AMERICAN    MIGRATION  139 

land  from  Governor  Gouch,  of  Virginia.  John  van 
Meter  patented  10,000  acres  at  the  forks  of  the 
Shenandoah  (Sherando  or  Shenando)  and  Cedar 
Creek,  Cedar  Lick  and  Strong  Lick,  and  20,000 
acres  farther  below.  Isaac  van  Meter  patented 
10,000  acres  in  the  lower  valley. 

In  the  year  1728  a  serious  event  turned  the  atten 
tion  of  Pennsylvania  settlers  toward  Virginia.  In 
this  year  the  Indians  made  a  hostile  attack  upon  the 
settlement  of  Falkner  Swamp  and  Goschenhoppen. 
The  settlers  of  Cold  Brook  Dale  sent  a  petition  to 
Governor  Gordon,  of  Pennsylvania,  asking  him  to 
protect  them  against  the  savages.  Many  of  the 
settlers,  feeling  insecure  in  Pennsylvania,  began  to 
look  for  more  favorable  conditions  in  other  prov 
inces,  and  naturally  turned  their  eyes  in  the  direction 
of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  toward  which  settlers 
were  beginning  to  move  along  the  eastern  slopes  of 
the  Blue  Ridge. 

In  the  year  1732  Jost  Kite  (Justus  Heid),  a  na 
tive  of  Strassburg  in  Elsass,  purchased  land  of  the 
Van  Meters  on  the  Opequon  Creek  and  settled  some 
sixteen  families  from  Lancaster  County,  Pennsyl 
vania.  Among  the  names  of  these  settlers  were, 
George  Bowman,  Jacob  Chrisman,  Paul  Froman 
(all  three  sons-in-law  of  Kite),  Robert  McKay, 
William  Duff  and  Peter  Stephen.  They  took  the 
route  of  the  old  Monocacy  Road,  by  way  of  Har 
per's  Ferry,  and  settled  five  miles  to  the  north  of  the 
present  Winchester.  In  1733  Jacob  Stauffer  (or 
Stover)  received  a  grant  of  5000  acres  of  land  in 


I4O  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

the  Gerando  (Shenando)  region,  farther  up  the 
valley,  toward  the  present  site  of  Harrisonburg.  The 
old  name  of  Strasburg,  was  Staufferstadt,  and  per 
petuated  the  name  of  this  early  settler.  In  1736 
Peter  Bowman  appears  among  the  settlers,  and  in 
1738  Peter  Franciscus.  In  1746  we  find  William 
Lenivell  (or  Linvill)  taking  up  land  along  the  Lin- 
ville  Creek,  which  now  bears  his  name. 

A  glance  at  the  names  of  these  early  settlers  in 
the  Valley  of  Virginia,  and  the  references  in  the 
land  records  show  that  many  of  them  came  from 
what  was  old  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania  (in 
cluding  later  Lancaster,  York  and  Lebanon).  The 
earlier  names,  like  "Bowman",  "Franciscus", 
"Funk",  point  directly  to  the  early  settlers  in  the 
Pequea  region  of  Lancaster  County  (then  Chester 
County)  of  1710.  Likewise  the  name  "Lenivell" 
or  "Linvill"  is  one  of  frequent  occurrence  in  Lan 
caster  County,  covering  entire  pages  of  the  old  deed 
books  in  the  Recorder's  office. 

The  contact  between  John  Lincoln  and  this  early 
migration  to  Virginia  is  twofold.  In  the  first  place 
John  Lincoln  owned  land  in  Caernarvon  Township, 
Lancaster  County,  as  well  as  in  Amity  and  Union, 
Berks  County,  and  naturally  came  into  touch  with 
the  residents  of  that  region  who  were  migrating  to 
Virginia.  In  the  second  place  he  had  a  special 
instance  of  such  migration  in  his  adventurous 
neighbor  and  friend,  Daniel  Boone,  of  Oley. 

Daniel  Boone,  of  Oley,  had  set  out  with  his 
father  and  kinsman  from  Berks  County,  Pennsyl- 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  14! 

vania,  in  1750,  with  a  view  to  settling  in  the  Great 
Valley.  They  took  the  usual  route  by  Harper's 
Ferry  and  passed  up  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  Tradi 
tion  says — in  this  instance  it  doubtless  reflects 
history — that  the  Boones  tarried  a  while  on  Linville 
Creek,  six  miles  north  of  Harrisonburg,  Virginia. 
In  the  following  year,  1751,  the  Boones  pressed  on 
through  the  Valley  of  Virginia  to  the  Yadkin  region, 
where  Squire  Boone,  Daniel's  father,  chose  a  claim 
at  Buffalo  Lick,  at  the  junction  of  Dutchman's  Creek 
and  the  north  point  of  the  Yadkin. 

The  ties  of  friendship  between  the  Lincolns  and 
the  Boones  in  Berks  County  were  drawn  closer  by 
the  marriage  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  posthumous 
son  of  Mordecai,  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  to  Anna 
Boone,  July  the  loth,  1760.  It  was  thus  natural 
that  John  Lincoln,  or  "Virginia  John",  as  he  was 
later  called,  and  his  kinsmen  should  be  informed 
of  the  wanderings  of  the  Boones  in  the  Great  Valley. 
Thus  the  motive  of  John  Lincoln's  migration  to 
Virginia  is  easily  found.  He,  unlike  the  other  sons 
of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  the  elder,  of  Exeter,  was  not 
attached  to  the  soil  of  Pennsylvania  by  inheritance 
but  by  the  purchase  of  land,  having  received  his  part 
of  his  father's  estate  in  New  Jersey,  and  afterwards 
sold  it  for  cash.  Then,  too,  the  opportunities  of 
acquiring  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  Valley  of  Vir 
ginia  at  a  moderate  price,  and  the  fact  that  his 
kinsmen  and  neighbors,  the  Boones,  had  already 
migrated  thither  furnished  further  incentive. 


I42  ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 

The  exact  date  of  John  Lincoln's  migration  from 
Berks  County,  Pennsylvania,  to  Augusta  County, 
Virginia,  cannot  be  fixed,  but  it  must  have  been 
between  1765,  the  year  in  which  John  Lincoln's 
name  ceases  to  appear  in  the  tax  lists  of  Berks 
County,  and  1768,  the  year  in  which  he  appears  as 
a  resident  of  Augusta  County,  Virginia.  As  we  have 
seen  he  sold  the  major  part  of  his  land  in  Pennsyl 
vania  between  the  years  1763  and  1765.  It  is  quite 
likely  that  he  went  to  Virginia  in  1765  or  1766,  and 
like  the  Boones  tarried  in  the  Linville  Creek  region 
until  he  could  decide  upon  a  place  of  residence. 
Instead  of  following  the  Boones  on  to  the  Yadkin, 
he  purchased  land  on  Linville  Creek  from  the 
McKays  (or  McCoys)  and  others  who  had  received 
an  original  grant.  As  the  land  records  show,  John 
Lincoln  later  in  life  conveyed  his  land  to  his  sons. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Daniel  Boone  set  out 
from  North  Carolina  for  Transylvanian  Virginia, 
that  region  which  is  now  known  as  Kentucky.  In 
1773  the  Boones,  with  their  families,  left  the  Yadkin 
to  settle  in  the  land  then  recently  explored  by  Daniel 
Boone,  and  met  with  the  disastrious  massacre  in  the 
Cumberland  Gap.  Meanwhile  this  region,  which 
had  been  entered  twenty  years  before  by  Governor 
Spottswood,  now  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Washingtons — George  Washington  and  his  brothers 
—of  the  Lees,  and  even  of  Benjamin  Franklin. 
Hundreds  of  settlers  began  to  pour  in  through  the 
Ohio  Valley,  and  founded  the  town  of  Louisville. 


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WARRANT  ISSUED  TO  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  IN  KENTUCKY,  SHOWING  THE  NAME  "LINKHORN/ 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  143 

Early  in  the  year  1780,  three  hundred  so-called 
family  boats  are  said  to  have  arrived  at  the  Falls  of 
the  Ohio.  The  Legislature  of  Virginia  passed  laws 
for  the  protection  and  encouragement  of  the  new 
settlers. 

Naturally,  the  cismontane  Virginians  were  eager 
to  seize  the  opportunity  of  acquiring  new  fertile 
lands  at  the  normal  price  of  forty  cents  per  acre. 
It  was  in  the  midst  of  this  rush  for  land  in  the  Ohio 
Valley,  in  the  year  1780,  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  of 
Linville  Creek,  Virginia,  purchased  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Transylvanian  Virginia,  for  the 
sum  of  $160,  and  soon  afterwards,  having  disposed 
of  his  land  on  Linville  Creek,  as  we  have  already 
seen  from  the  old  deed,  set  out  for  the  Valley  of  the 
Ohio.  The  original  warrant  for  this  purchase  of 
four  hundred  acres,  is  here  reproduced  in  fac-simile 
and  will  speak  for  itself.  The  survey  is  dated  May 

7,  1785- 

In  addition  to  this  purchase,  Abraham  Lincoln 
owned  other  lands  in  Kentucky.  According  to  the 
researches  made  by  Colonel  Reuben  T.  Durrett,  of 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  Abraham  Lincoln  owned  the 
following  tracts  of  land  in  that  region : 

1.  A   tract   containing   four   hundred   acres,    on 
Long  Run,  a  branch  of  Floyd's  Fork,  in  Jefferson 
County,  entered  May  29th,  1 780. 

2.  A  tract  of  eight  hundred  acres  on  Green  River, 
near  Green  River  Lick,  entered  June  7th,  1780. 


144  ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 

3.  A  tract  of  five  hundred  acres  in  Campbell 
County,  surveyed  September  27,  1798,  and  patented 
June  3Oth,  1799,  but  taken  up  before  his  death  in 
1784. 

The  tract  of  500  acres,  entered  by  Daniel  Boone 
in  his  Field  Book,  would  seem  to  indicate  still  an 
other  purchase  of  land  in  the  present  Kentucky  by 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  warrant  is  No.  5994  and 
Boone's  survey  entry  is  dated  December  n,  1782. 
A  fac-simile  may  be  found  in  Nicolay  and  Hay's 
Abraham  Lincoln. 

The  tradition  that  Abraham  Lincoln  went  to 
North  Carolina  is  doubtless  a  reminiscence  of  the 
route  which  he  took  to  his  newly  acquired  lands  in 
the  present  State  of  Kentucky.  He  followed  nat 
urally  Boone's  Wilderness  Road,  and  probably  joined 
a  company  of  settlers  going  that  way  at  the  time. 

Thus  we  have  followed  the  Lincolns  in  their 
wanderings  to  the  West,  that  region  now  known  as 
Kentucky,  then  still  a  part  of  the  old  territory  of  Vir 
ginia.  Abraham  Lincoln  was  killed,  as  tradition  has 
it,  in  1784,  by  the  Indians,  while  at  work  with  his 
sons,  Mordecai,  Josiah  and  Thomas,  in  the  clearings. 
The  older  boys  ran  for  help,  Mordecai  to  the  house 
for  the  gun,  and  Josiah  to  the  fort  for  men.  Morde 
cai  returned  with  the  gun  in  time  to  shoot  the  Indian 
who  was  just  about  to  scalp  his  six-year-old  brother, 
Thomas.  This  Thomas  was  the  father  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

It  was  the  irony  of  American  migration  which 


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SURVEY  OF  THE  FIRST  WARRANT  OF  LAND  TO  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  IN 
KENTUCKY  (THEN  VIRGINIA^. 


AN   AMERICAN    MIGRATION  145 

reared  the  great  emancipator  of  the  slaves  on  the 
Blue  Grass  soil  of  Kentucky.  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  in  a  peculiar  sense  the  heir  of  all  the  great  Amer 
ican  traditions.  Sprung  from  an  English  family, 
which  had  been  inured  to  the  hardships  of  New 
England,  tarried  among  the  early  Dutch  and  English 
settlers  of  East  Jersey,  taken  root  and  thrown  among 
the  Germans  and  Quakers  of  Pennsylvania,  shared 
the  adventures  and  perils  of  the  frontier  life  of  Vir 
ginia  and  Kentucky,  Abraham  Lincoln  was  the  best 
example  of  that  sturdy,  fearless  American  citizen 
ship,  great  not  because  he  made  far-seeing  plans  of 
self-glorification,  but  because  he  possessed  that  in 
herent  heroism  and  devotion  to  duty  which  pre 
pared  him  for  all  emergencies,  even  those  of  civil 
war,  and  won  for  him  the  enduring  names  of  Eman 
cipator  of  American  Slaves  and  Martyr  President  of 
the  Republic  of  Freemen. 


THE  TRAIL 

or  THE 

LINCCO  MIGRATION 

1783. 


MAP  OF  THE  MIGRATION  OF  THE  LINCOLNS  FROM  HINGHAM,  MASS.,  TO  KENTUCKY. 

The  Marks  X  Indicates  Hingham,  Mass.,  Red  Bank,  N.  J.,  Coventry,  Pa., 
Linville's  Creek,  Va.,  and  Hodgenville,  Ky. 


INDEX  OF  LINCOLNS  REFERRED  TO  IN 
THIS  WORK 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  President i,  2,  6,  67,  145 

Lincoln  (Lincon),  Abraham,  of  Exeter 67,  68,  70,  77 

79,  80,  81,  82,  83,  85,  86,  87,  88,  90,  91,  92,  93,  141 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield, 

54,  57,  58,  61,  62,  67,  136 

Lincoln  (Lincon),   Abraham,   of    Springfield 7,  9,  32,  33 

34,  35,  36,  37,  38,  39,  40,  41,  42,  43,  44,  45 
47,  48,  51,  52,  53,  54,  57,  60,  63 

Lincoln,   Abraham,   of  Va 2,  118  et  seq.,  134,  143  et  scq. 

Lincoln,  Abraham  M 97 

Lincoln,  Anna   (Boone) 81,  93 

Lincoln,  Ann,  daughter  of  Mordecai  and  Julian 97 

Lincoln,  Ann,  daughter  of  John  D 99 

Lincoln,    Ametia 99 

Lincoln,  Alice  Dehaven 98 

Lincoln,   Alfred 99 

Lincoln,   Anne 9 

Lincoln,  Anne,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 95 

Lincoln,  Anne,  daughter  of  Mordecai,  of  Exeter 28 

Lincoln,  Anna,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 95 

Lincoln,    Bathseba 

Lincoln,    Catarina 65 

Lincoln,  Daniel,  of  Mass 5 

Lincoln,  Daniel,  of  Pa 65 

Lincoln,    David   J 99 

Lincoln,   Deborah 21 

Lincoln,   Elizabeth,   daughter   of   John    D 99 

Lincoln,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Thomas,  of  Berks 77,  78 

Lincoln,    Elizabeth,    of    Scituate 7 

Lincoln,    George,   of   Hingham 6 

Lincoln,  Hannah,  daughter  of  Mordecai,  of  Exeter 28 

Lincoln,    Hannah    (Saltar) TO,  11,  13,  21 

Lincoln,  Harrison  H 99 

Lincoln,  Harrison    P 81,  99 

Lincoln,  Isaac,  of  Hull 7 

(147) 


148  INDEX 

Lincoln,  Isaac,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield, 

55,  56,  57,  58,  63,  64,  65 

Lincoln,  Isaac,  son  of  "Virginia  John" 116,  128 

Lincoln,  Jacob    65 

Lincoln,  Jacob,   of    Scituate 7 

Lincoln,  Jacob,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield, 

54,  60,  61,  62,  65 

Lincoln,  Jacob,  son  of  "Virginia  John" 121,  128 

Lincoln,  James,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 95,  99 

Lincoln,  John,  son  of  Abraham,  of   Exeter 96,  99 

Lincoln,  John,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield.  .54,  56,  57,  65 

Lincoln,  John,   son  of  Jacob • 65 

Lincoln,  John,  son  of  John  D 99 

Lincoln,  John  ("Virginia  John"),  son  of  Mordecai,  of  Exeter, 
28,  67,  80,  100,  loi,  102,  104,  105,  106,  107,  108 

109,  112,  113,  114,  115,  116,  117,  122,  140,  141,  142 

Lincoln,  John    D 81,  98,  99 

Lincoln,  John,  of  Witherne 3 

Lincoln,  Jon 9 

Lincoln  (Linckhorn),    Jonathan 8 

Lincoln  (Linckhorne),   Jn° 8 

Lincoln,  Julian    (Mayberry) 97,  98 

Lincoln,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Mordecai  and  Julian....     97 
Lincoln,  Margaret  (2),  daughter  of  Mordecai  and  Julian. .   198 

Lincoln,  Martha,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 94 

Lincoln,  Martha,  daughter  of  John  D 99 

Lincoln,  Martha,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Alice 98 

Lincoln,  Mary,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 94 

Lincoln,  Mary,  daughter  of  John   D 99 

Lincoln,  Mary,   daughter   of    Mordecai,   of    Exeter 28 

Lincoln,  Mary    (Medley) 65 

Lincoln,  Mary    (Rogers) 28,  29,  30,  31,  67,  70,  71 

Lincoln,  Mary,   wife   of    Isaac 62,  64 

Lincoln,  Mordecai,  of  Exeter   (and  Monmouth) 7,  9,  10 

n,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25 

26,  27,  29,  30,  67,  68,  70,  71,  72,  78,  80,  84,  89,  92 

93,  100,  104,  129,  136,  137 

Lincoln,  Mordecai,  of  Hull 6,  7,  9,  67,  136 

Lincoln,  Mordecai,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 94,  98 


INDEX  149 

Lincoln,  Mordecai,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield, 

55,  57,  63,  64 
Lincoln,  Mordecai,  son  of  Mordecai,  of  Exeter, 

28,  67,  68,  69,  70,  71,  81,  82,  85,  91,  129 

Lincoln,  Moses    65 

Lincoln  (Lincen  or  Lincon),  Nathan 19,  20 

Lincoln,  Oscar  99 

Lincoln,  Phebe,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 95 

Lincoln,  Rachel,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 95 

Lincoln,  Rachel  (2),  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter....     96 

Lincoln,  Rachel,  daughter  of  Mordecai  and  Julian 97 

Lincoln,  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield..     55 
Lincoln,  Rebecca,  wife  of  ''Virginia  John, "..112,  115,  116,  117 

Lincoln,  Richard,  of  the  Bail 3 

Lincoln,  Richard,  son  of  John  D 99 

Lincoln,  Robert   4 

Lincoln  (Lincoen),  Samuel,  the  immigrant 4,  5 

Lincoln,  Sara,  daughter  of  Abraham,  of  Springfield 56 

Lincoln,  Sarah,  daughter  of  John   D 99 

Lincoln,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Mordecai,  of  Exeter 129 

Lincoln,  Sarah,   of   Hull 7 

Lincoln,  Hon.    Solomon I 

Lincoln,  Stephen   5 

Lincoln,  Thomas   I 

Lincoln,  Thomas,  of  Exeter, 

28,  67,  70,  72,  73,  74,  75,  76,  77,  79,  80,  82,  85,  89,  90,  91 

Lincoln,  Thomas,  the  cooper 4 

Lincoln,  Thomas,    the   husbandman 4,  136 

Lincoln,  Thomas,  the  miller 4,  136 

Lincoln,  Thomas,  son  of  Abraham,  of  Exeter 96,  98 

Lincoln,  Thomas,  the  weaver 4,  6 

Lincoln  (Lincolne),    Wm 8 

Lincoln's  Inn    7 

Lincoln,  the   name 130  et  seq. 


